Compliance Radar
Who was sanctioned, and for what?
Fines, court rulings and incidents from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa: 2,207 cases from 44 jurisdictions, each with an official source and checked against that source before publication. Filter by country, area of law and sector. Click a chart to drill down one level.
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Where?
by authority- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA) €17.5m 55 % · 4 cases
- Bundesanwaltschaft €10.1m 32 % · 4 cases
- Bundesstrafgericht (Strafkammer), Anklage der Bundesanwaltschaft €3.23m 10 % · 1 case
- Bundesanwaltschaft (BA) €767,971 2 % · 1 case
What for?
by topicWho?
by sectorAll sectors
When?
per year, by date of decision| Period | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | €18.3m |
| 2025 | 4 | €10.1m |
| 2026 | 2 | €3.23m |
10 cases
27 Jul 2026 Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SAFederal Criminal Court fines Banque Lombard Odier CHF 3 million over money laundering €3.23m
The Bundesstrafgericht (Federal Criminal Court) found Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SA guilty of failing to take adequate organisational measures against aggravated money laundering by a former relationship manager who in 2011 and 2012 handled accounts of a criminal organisation holding proceeds of corruption in the Uzbek telecommunications market; despite warning signs, the bank's anti-money-laundering functions did not sufficiently ensure that the origin and purpose of the funds were investigated and documented. The bank was fined CHF 3,000,000 and bears procedural costs of CHF 24,561.49; it was acquitted on the remaining charges, and proceedings for acts before 27 July 2011 were dismissed as time-barred. The judgment is not final.
Warning signs about the origin of large inflows must be investigated and documented by the anti-money-laundering function itself, not just by the relationship manager.
Anti-money-laundering: investigating conspicuous inflows and documentation
- Authority / court
- Bundesstrafgericht (Strafkammer), Anklage der Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i.V.m. Art. 305bis Ziff. 1 und 2 StGB (Urteil SK.2023.42)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- The long time elapsed since the offences (2011/2012) was taken into account as mitigating.
- Published
- 27 Jul 2026
Original amount 3,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 Jul 2026.
- Bundesstrafgericht, Medienmitteilung vom 27.07.2026 (SK.2023.42) Court press release
- Bundesstrafgericht, Dispositiv SK.2023.42 vom 27. Juli 2026 (englische Fassung, anonymisiert) Court decision
- BA-Medienmitteilung vom 29.11.2024: Bank Lombard Odier und ein ehemaliger Mitarbeiter wegen schwerer Geldwäscherei beim Bundesstrafgericht angeklagt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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27 Feb 2026 MBaer Merchant Bank AGFINMA withdraws MBaer Merchant Bank's licence over serious anti-money laundering deficiencies Order
Following enforcement proceedings, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found serious, systematic deficiencies in anti-money laundering due diligence, organisation and risk management; the bank enabled clients to circumvent official asset freezes and executed transactions for sanctioned persons. FINMA had withdrawn the bank's licence and ordered its liquidation; with the withdrawal of the appeal before the Federal Administrative Court, the orders took effect on 27 February 2026. The day before, FinCEN had proposed designating the bank as an institution of primary money laundering concern.
Systematic anti-money laundering and sanctions deficiencies can cost a bank its licence – not just money.
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht und Bankenaufsichtsrecht (laut FINMA)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Employees
- 50 to 249
- Published
- 27 Feb 2026
- FINMA-Verfahren: MBaer Merchant Bank AG in Liquidation Press release of an authority
- Massnahmen bei MBaer Merchant Bank AG Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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22 Aug 2025 Bank J. Safra Sarasin AGBank J. Safra Sarasin: 3.5 million CHF fine for money laundering in the Petrobras complex €3.73m
Between 2011 and 2014, the bank did not take all the necessary organisational precautions, with the result that bribes flowed to Petrobras executives through several account relationships (around 71 million USD in attempted or completed aggravated money laundering). Fine of 3.5 million CHF; because of a settlement of 16 million CHF with Petrobras, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft, OAG) waived a compensation claim.
Unusual payment flows involving clients close to PEPs must be escalated and, if necessary, rejected – responsibility lies with the bank as an organisation.
Anti-money laundering and PEP clients
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis Abs. 1 und 2 StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, organisational corrective measures after the affair became known; no compensation claim because of the payment of 16 million CHF to Petrobras.
- Published
- 22 Aug 2025
Original amount 3,500,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Aug 2025.
- Bundesanwaltschaft verurteilt Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG (Strafbefehl) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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22 Aug 2025 J.P. Morgan (Suisse) SAJ.P. Morgan (Suisse): 3 million CHF fine in the 1MDB complex for deficient anti-money laundering controls €3.2m
Between October 2014 and July 2015, around 174 million CHF from predicate offences in the 1MDB complex passed through the bank in 43 transfers, even though negative information about the Petrosaudi managers involved was publicly available. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) convicted the bank by summary penalty order and imposed 3 million CHF; a compensation claim was waived because the 1MDB fund is being compensated as a private claimant.
Publicly available negative information about clients must feed into the risk assessment and be capable of stopping transactions.
Customer due diligence and adverse media screening
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis Abs. 1 und 2 StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, very good cooperation in the proceedings, compensation of the private claimant (1MDB).
- Published
- 22 Aug 2025
Original amount 3,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Aug 2025.
- Fall 1MDB: Bank JP Morgan Suisse mit Strafbefehl verurteilt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Jun 2025 Banque Pictet et Cie SABanque Pictet: 2 million CHF fine for laundering Petrobras bribes €2.13m
Between 2010 and 2013, 54 transfers were processed through the bank by which bribes of around 4.1 million USD connected with SBM Offshore's charter contracts with Petrobras were concealed. The bank had not classified high-risk accounts as such and had inadequately monitored transfers; the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) imposed a fine of 2 million CHF on the bank.
Risk classification and transaction monitoring must take effect before individual relationship managers approve payments.
High-risk clients and transaction monitoring
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis und Art. 322septies StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, very good cooperation, organisational corrective measures after the Petrobras affair became known.
- Published
- 17 Jun 2025
Original amount 2,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Jun 2025.
- Banque Pictet et Cie SA und ehemaliger Vermögensverwalter per Strafbefehl verurteilt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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27 Feb 2025 Morgan Stanley (Switzerland) GmbHMorgan Stanley (Switzerland): 1 million CHF fine for organisational deficiency in money laundering case €1.06m
In 2010, the company's legal predecessor did not take all necessary and reasonable organisational precautions to prevent a relationship manager from committing aggravated money laundering with assets derived from bribery offences in Greece. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) concluded the proceedings with a summary penalty order of 1 million CHF.
Under corporate criminal law, organisational deficiencies do not become time-barred when the employee leaves – controls must be demonstrably effective.
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 27 Feb 2025
Original amount 1,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 Feb 2025.
- Bundesanwaltschaft schliesst Strafuntersuchung gegen Morgan Stanley (Switzerland) GmbH mit Strafbefehl ab Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Sep 2024 a Swiss private bankFINMA: private bank seriously breached AML duties, CHF 12.7 million confiscated €13.5m
The Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA, Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) found that the bank, despite warnings, inadequately checked and documented beneficial ownership and the background of transactions in business relationships with complex structures possibly attributable to a now-deceased businessman accused of tax evasion, which at times held up to USD 1.7 billion. FINMA confiscated CHF 12.7 million of unlawfully earned profits, prohibited the bank from taking on new clients with increased money-laundering risks until compliance is restored, ordered a review of all client relationships and of higher-risk transactions from 2018 to 2022, and appointed an audit agent. The ruling issued in June 2023 has been final since August 2023.
Since aggravated tax offences count as predicate offences, banks must investigate tax-risk warning signs just like other money-laundering risks.
Aggravated tax offences as a predicate offence to money laundering; duty to investigate
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Finanzmarktaufsichtsrecht: Geldwäschereiprävention, angemessene Organisation und Risikomanagement (Einziehung zugunsten der Staatskasse)
- Action
- Disgorgement of profits
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- The bank cooperated in the proceedings and took its own organisational, operational and personnel measures during the proceedings.
- Liability of senior managers
- FINMA opened three enforcement proceedings against individuals.
- Published
- 17 Sep 2024
Original amount 12,700,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Sep 2024.
- FINMA, News (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Company name anonymised since 17 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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18 Jun 2024 a Swiss private bankFINMA: Swiss private bank breached anti-money laundering rules for two PEPs Order
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found that, for two politically exposed persons, the bank insufficiently clarified the origin and purpose of assets – transactions of more than 300 million USD from a Lebanese state institution between 2002 and 2015 – and only reported them to the reporting office in September 2020. It ordered a review of all PEP relationships, a ban on new PEP relationships until the review is completed and the appointment of an audit agent; the decision was not final at the time of publication (date of the announcement used as decision date).
In PEP relationships, document the origin and purpose of large payments; a report made years later is no report.
Dealing with politically exposed persons (PEPs)
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht (laut FINMA)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 18 Jun 2024
- FINMA, News (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Company name anonymised since 18 Jun 2026 · Direct link
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28 Mar 2024 a Swiss private bankPrivate bank fined CHF 750,000 for organisational failings over money laundering €767,971
In the Lava Jato case complex, the Bundesanwaltschaft (BA, Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland) found that between 2011 and 2014 a Swiss private bank did not adequately establish beneficial owners and the background of transactions at its Lugano office, enabling two employees to commit money laundering exceeding USD 20 million. By summary penalty order of 28 March 2024 the bank was fined CHF 750,000; the BA dropped the charge of bribery of foreign public officials. The bank waived its right to object, so the penalty order becomes final.
For accounts with conspicuous structures, beneficial ownership must be checked independently of the relationship manager.
Establishing beneficial owners and front-man structures
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft (BA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i.V.m. Art. 305bis Ziff. 2 StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- The bank's cooperation with the Office of the Attorney General was taken into account.
- Published
- 4 Apr 2024
Original amount 750,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Mar 2024.
- Bundesanwaltschaft, Medienmitteilungen (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Company name anonymised since 28 Mar 2026 · Direct link
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25 Mar 2024 a Swiss bankFINMA confiscates 3.9 million CHF in profits from Swiss bank €4.01m
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found serious infringements of anti-money laundering rules in PEP relationships: insufficient clarification of the origin of assets, failure to report to the reporting office despite unexplained transaction purposes and a serious breach of the duty to provide information, because a critical internal audit report was not handed over. It confiscated 3.9 million CHF in profits, imposed a capital surcharge of 19 million CHF and a two-year ban on new PEP and high-risk relationships (date of the announcement used as decision date).
Withholding critical audit reports from the supervisory authority considerably aggravates a money laundering case.
PEP clarifications and openness towards the supervisory authority
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Suspicious activity reports
- Legal basis
- Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht; Gewinneinziehung und Auskunftspflicht nach Finanzmarktaufsichtsrecht (laut FINMA)
- Action
- Disgorgement of profits
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 25 Mar 2024
Original amount 3,900,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 25 Mar 2024.
- FINMA, News (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Company name anonymised since 25 Mar 2026 · Direct link