Global anti-money laundering fines surge as regulators dole out tougher penalties August 23, 2021 Global anti-money laundering (AML) fines at banks and financial services firms soared to $2.2bn (£1.6bn) last year, fives times higher than in 2019, as regulators have stuck to tougher lines on the industry, according to reports. In its latest review Kroll, a governance and risk consultancy, found that watchdogs levied almost $1bn of AML fines in [...]
Dentist wins £15,000 damages in libel after wild accusations surfaced online August 20, 2021 A retired dentist and his partner have won a website libel fight after becoming involved in a dispute over land in a Cumbrian village. Dr Richard Wozniak and Bridget Kelly, who had retired to Cumbria and bought a house in Rosgill six years ago, sued villager Chloe Randall. Ms Randall had fought the libel claim, [...]
Law firm Irwin Mitchell reaches ‘landmark’ £1bn assets under management August 20, 2021 Irwin Mitchell’s wealth management team has reached £1bn of assets under management (AUM) this week, the company has announced today. The firm, which also recently announced an 11th year of consecutive growth, launched its wealth management division in 2000 and focussed on providing financial planning and investment management to personal injury clients in receipt of [...]
Ackman of Pershings to relaunch SPAC as damage control from investor lawsuit August 20, 2021 In a letter to the shareholders of the largest SPAC to ever hit the market, billionaire fund manager Bill Ackman said on Thursday he will pursue a relaunch of Pershings, following a lawsuit filed this week by an investor. The lawsuit against Pershing Square Holdings (PSTH) was filed by former US Securities and Exchange (SEC) [...]
Faulty lab tests: Hundreds of drug-driving convictions could be quashed August 19, 2021 Hundreds of drug-driving convictions could be called into question after problems with evidence samples were discovered in forensic labs, according to police. Some evidence handled by forensic testing company Synlab Laboratory Services Limited is “no longer reliable”, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said. The company “identified issues with its analysis of drug-driving samples” in [...]
Legal groups urge UK to help female judges and legal professionals in Afghanistan August 19, 2021 At least 250 female judges in Afghanistan face a “perilous” future, legal groups have said while urging the UK government to offer asylum to female judges and other legal professionals in the country which has been control of by the Taliban. According to the Lawyer Monthly, the Bar Council, Bar Human Rights Committee and Law [...]
Deloitte gives all 333,000 staff lessons on climate change August 19, 2021 All Deloitte employees will be given lessons as part of a climate change education programme over the next six months according to reports, as the auditing giant seeks to boost climate change literacy in its workforce. The “climate learning program” that all 333,000 of the auditor’s international staff will be sent on, has been created [...]
PwC partner accused of leaking in £63m lawsuit leaves firm August 18, 2021 Ian Green, the former PwC head of restructuring, left the firm on 30 June according to Companies House filings, following accusations by Watchstone that he leaked confidential information about the PwC client. Aquis Exchange-listed Watchstone, an insurance and technology group, have said that Green disclosed its information to a banker at Greenhill & Co in [...]
Insurance payouts for Covid business interruption near £1bn August 17, 2021 Insurers have paid out almost £1bn in claims to businesses that were forced shut during nationwide lockdowns, according to the latest figures released by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) this week. Insurance companies paid out £637m in full settlements to policyholders with cover for business interruption since January as well as over £309m in interim payments, brining the total to £946m. But the total payments for claims could be higher still, as more than 38 [...]
Travers Smith moving London HQ next door to Deloitte and Goldman Sachs August 17, 2021 Law firm Travers Smith will relocate its City of London headquarters in 2025 and neighbour Goldman Sachs and Deloitte offices. Its new headquarters will be based at Stonecutter Court, a 13-storey office in Farringdon which is a short distance from its current location on Snow Hill in the same area. The silver circle firm signed a [...]