11/12/2012
HSBC Charged $1.9bn In Money Laundering Penalties
UK based bank HSBC has agreed to pay the largest recorded settlement to US authorities over money laundering.
They have been ordered to hand over $1.9bn (£1.2bn) after a US Senate investigation revealed the bank had been a conduit for "drug kingpins and rogue nations".
A report by the US Senate, published earlier this year, alleged that HSBC in the US had not treated its Mexican affiliate as high risk, well known money laundering and drug trafficking risks.
The Mexican bank transported $7bn in US bank notes to HSBC in the US without considering that to be suspicious.
It had circumvented US safeguards designed to block transactions involving terrorists drug lords and rogue states, including allowing 25,000 transactions over seven years without disclosing their links to Iran.
They had provided US dollars and banking services to some banks in Saudi Arabia despite their links to terrorist financing.
In less than four years it had cleared $290m in US travellers' cheques for a Japanese bank, benefiting Russians who claimed to be in the used car business.
HSBC group chief executive Stuart Gulliver said in a statement: "We accept responsibility for our past mistakes. We have said we are profoundly sorry for them, and we do so again."
The bank will spend $290m on improving money laundering preventions. It has appointed a former US official to work as head of financial crime compliance.
(GK)
They have been ordered to hand over $1.9bn (£1.2bn) after a US Senate investigation revealed the bank had been a conduit for "drug kingpins and rogue nations".
A report by the US Senate, published earlier this year, alleged that HSBC in the US had not treated its Mexican affiliate as high risk, well known money laundering and drug trafficking risks.
The Mexican bank transported $7bn in US bank notes to HSBC in the US without considering that to be suspicious.
It had circumvented US safeguards designed to block transactions involving terrorists drug lords and rogue states, including allowing 25,000 transactions over seven years without disclosing their links to Iran.
They had provided US dollars and banking services to some banks in Saudi Arabia despite their links to terrorist financing.
In less than four years it had cleared $290m in US travellers' cheques for a Japanese bank, benefiting Russians who claimed to be in the used car business.
HSBC group chief executive Stuart Gulliver said in a statement: "We accept responsibility for our past mistakes. We have said we are profoundly sorry for them, and we do so again."
The bank will spend $290m on improving money laundering preventions. It has appointed a former US official to work as head of financial crime compliance.
(GK)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
07 July 2008
Bank Heist Clerk Jailed
A bank clerk has been imprisoned for attempting to steal almost £72 million from HSBC. It is understood that Jagmeet Channa, 25, who worked at the Canary Wharf headquarters, used colleague's identities to "plunder" accounts.
Bank Heist Clerk Jailed
A bank clerk has been imprisoned for attempting to steal almost £72 million from HSBC. It is understood that Jagmeet Channa, 25, who worked at the Canary Wharf headquarters, used colleague's identities to "plunder" accounts.
09 November 2012
HSBC Launches Jersey Money Laundering Probe
HSBC has issued a statement after the Daily Telegraph newspaper said it was at the centre of a major investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The bank says it is exploring allegations that criminals have used offshore accounts at its Jersey operation for money laundering.
HSBC Launches Jersey Money Laundering Probe
HSBC has issued a statement after the Daily Telegraph newspaper said it was at the centre of a major investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The bank says it is exploring allegations that criminals have used offshore accounts at its Jersey operation for money laundering.
05 May 2011
Bank Of England Maintains Bank Rate At 0.5%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £200 billion. The previous change in Bank Rate was a reduction of 0.5 percentage points to 0.
Bank Of England Maintains Bank Rate At 0.5%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £200 billion. The previous change in Bank Rate was a reduction of 0.5 percentage points to 0.
06 March 2006
HSBC reports record profits
HSBC has reported earnings of £11.9 billion ($20.97 billion) for last year, the largest ever profits announced by a UK bank. The figure was an increase of 11% on the previous year and followed robust performances in the UK, US and Hong Kong markets, the group said.
HSBC reports record profits
HSBC has reported earnings of £11.9 billion ($20.97 billion) for last year, the largest ever profits announced by a UK bank. The figure was an increase of 11% on the previous year and followed robust performances in the UK, US and Hong Kong markets, the group said.
09 June 2015
HSBC Announce Thousands Of UK Job Cuts
HSBC has announced 8,000 job cuts in its UK workforce, as part of a global effort to reduce costs and "simplify its business". Europe's largest bank, which currently employs 48,000 people in the UK, has said that it will seek to make 25,000 job cuts globally, reducing its worldwide workforce of 266,000 by about 10%.
HSBC Announce Thousands Of UK Job Cuts
HSBC has announced 8,000 job cuts in its UK workforce, as part of a global effort to reduce costs and "simplify its business". Europe's largest bank, which currently employs 48,000 people in the UK, has said that it will seek to make 25,000 job cuts globally, reducing its worldwide workforce of 266,000 by about 10%.