WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department said Tuesday that it’s imposing $1.2 billion in fines on Bank of America for allegedly violating anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.

The fines on America’s second-biggest bank amount to the third-largest in the department’s history.

“When a bank of this size fails to meet its anti-money laundering and sanctions obligations, the consequences extend far beyond its own walls, exposing the entire U.S. financial system to significant illicit finance risks,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “Today’s actions send a clear message that even the biggest financial institutions are not above the law.”

    • SeeMarkFly@lemmy.ml
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      5 days ago

      Crime DOES pay???

      They lied about that too???

      Ooh, for businesses, not for people.

      I thought businesses WERE people.

      Ooh, only when it’s convenient. What do you call THAT law?

    • Triumph@fedia.io
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      Not making excuses, but gross profit doesn’t account for a bunch of other business expenses. Yearly net profit is more like $30B. That makes the fine ~4%.

      The profits are still criminally high and the fine is criminally low, but it should be compared to net.

      • Onno (VK6FLAB)@lemmy.radio
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        I think that the fine should represent the actual profit over the lifetime of the offence with a penalty surcharge.

        That way the fine represents “crime doesn’t pay”, rather than “crime penalties are a rounding error”.

    • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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      The bank wasn’t narcing on people often enough for what other people do with their money, while Trump just throws it in everyone’s face that he’s doing shady shit to steal and make money.

  • NateNate60@lemmy.world
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    I’m shocked that they are still doing these types of things. I expected the bank’s executives would’ve been able to settle their differences with Treasury officials over a glass of wine and a few million donated to the Don’s campaign fund.

  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca
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    Oh, I get it. They refused trump back in the day and now the revenge part is kicking in. Banks are kind of grifty too so…

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    Did they actually do money laundering? Is this some kind of vendetta by the Trump administration?

    I have no idea what to believe anymore!

    • Pieisawesome@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      I briefly worked on AML systems at a larger bank than BOFA.

      Yeah, money laundering is a constant whackamole and occurs constantly. We caught like 40% ish in real time, another 20-30% with look backs, the rest were probably never noticed.

      Why BOFA now? Probably political or a regulator got their butt hurt.

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        I work for a large national bank too. Probably slightly smaller than BOA but I deal with OFAC and Sanctions regularly (in relation to real estate ownership).

        BOA knows better so either they thought they could get away with something or it’s some kind of targeted attack by Trump Admins.

        I do know of examples where a banking exec did something shady bc they thought they could get away with it.

        I actually had someone recently submit AI altered photos as evidence of required property repairs. I guarantee that wasn’t the first time we received AI images or paperwork but probably the first time we noticed.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      5 days ago

      Honestly, at this point, I would not be shocked if this is some weird and fucked up Rube Goldberg money laundering scheme involving all the major parties mentioned in the article (plus orangeboi and/or members of his inner circle and the regime), because that’s just kinda par for the course these days here

    • TransNeko@lemmy.worldBanned from community
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      if trump condemns it… your know whatever is being condemned is truth, ethical, moral, and takes a stand against rape.

      • 5too@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Not necessarily - they may just not have genuflected quickly enough, or refused him for their own ends

  • WalnutLum@lemmy.ml
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    Seeing as how the US is also sanctioning the ICC, who who fucking knows what this is.

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    That sounds scary, until you realize it’s pocket change for BofA, and pales in comparison to the money they will make continuing to launder money.

    Because until people are in prison for these crimes, nothing will change.

  • Rusticus@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    At this point anyone the orange fucktard hurts is likely a friend of the people.

    Edit: JFC do I really need an /s?

  • TransNeko@lemmy.worldBanned from community
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    Wow… charged with Laundering money because you refused to launder Trump’s money… and my bingo card is full. time to write up another one of non-repeating bulkshit Hitler Junior does.