Banking giants such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America collectively face more than $1 billion in regulatory fines for employees' use of unapproved messaging tools, including email and apps like WhatsApp.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began
probing banks' record-keeping practices relating to the use of personal devices
last year, Reuters reported at the time, and the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (CFTC) is also scrutinizing the issue, bank disclosures show.
Here is a list of fines that financial firms have already
paid or expect to pay, according to recent disclosures:
JP Morgan Chase
JP Morgan Chase's broker-dealer subsidiary was fined $200
million last year by the SEC and CFTC
for widespread failures to preserve staff communications on personal mobile
devices, messaging apps and emails.
JP Morgan acknowledged its conduct violated securities laws.
The penalty was one of the first major enforcement actions brought under SEC
Chair Gary Gensler.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley has tentatively agreed to pay $125 million to
the SEC and $75 million to the CFTC to resolve investigations into its
record-keeping practices, it said in July. It already set aside $200 million in
its second quarter earnings to prepare for the penalty.
Bank of America
Bank of America earmarked about $200 million in the second
quarter for litigation tied to unauthorised electronic messaging by its
employees. The bank said in late July that it was in settlement talks with the
SEC and the CFTC.
Citigroup
Citi is being investigated by the SEC for communication over
unapproved channels used by its employees, the company disclosed in a
regulatory filing in February.
The company set aside reserves to deal with the matter,
Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said during its second quarter earnings in
July. He didn't specify an amount, but said it was aligned with what peer
companies had disclosed.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is in "advanced discussions" with
the SEC and CFTC to resolve the probes, it said in a second-quarter filing.
Barclays
British bank Barclays said it had reached an agreement in
principle to pay $200 million to US regulators, the company said in its
half-year earnings in July.
Credit Suisse Group AG
Credit Suisse said in July it had booked a $200 million
litigation provision mainly relating to the record-keeping rules.
Deutsche Bank AG
Deutsche Bank announced late July that it set aside 165
million euros in additional provisions for possible regulatory enforcement, in
part from the SEC and CFTC investigations.
UBS Group AG
UBS Group said US regulators were conducting investigations
into the bank and other financial institutions relating to business
communications. © Reuters
