A judge has given the greenlight to AUSTRAC’s $1.3 billion penalty against Westpac over the bank’s 23 million breaches of money laundering and counter-terrorism laws, the biggest regulatory fine ever paid by an Australian company.
The Australian unit of French investment bank Société Générale must pay a $30,000 penalty after pleading guilty to four counts of breaching client money handling rules.
Former celebrity advisor and banking royal commission witness Sam Henderson has avoided jail time and been fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to dishonesty and defective disclosure offences for falsely telling clients he had completed a Master of Commerce degree.
A judge has shot down Monster Energy’s opposition to Japanese software company Mixi registering the ‘Monster Strike’ trade mark in Australia for its popular video game of the same name, the second judge to find the energy drink maker’s standalone ‘Monster’ mark does not have a significant reputation in Australia.
A judge has slapped National Australia Bank with a $15 million penalty over its scandal-ridden home loan introducer program but slammed ASIC’s investigation into the program, saying there was no “real regulatory desire to pursue a thorough investigation as to what in truth occurred”.
Making good on its promise to crack down on anti-competitive conduct in the commercial construction sector, the ACCC has initiated proceedings against NQ Cranes alleging the crane company entered an agreement with a competitor to divvy up the market for overhead crane parts and servicing in Brisbane and Newcastle.
Crown Resorts is the target of an investigation by AUSTRAC’s enforcement team in connection with its dealings with high-risk customers at its Melbourne casino.
Over-the-counter derivative issuers AGM Markets, OT Markets and Oxifin Tech have been ordered to pay a total of $75 million in penalties after a ruling that they engaged in unconscionable conduct causing losses of over $30 million to unsophisticated investors seeking what a judge called “financial heroin hits”.
Financial crimes regulator AUSTRAC will not take legal action against Afterpay over its compliance with anti-money laundering laws, following an external auditor’s report that found the buy now, pay later provider had received “incorrect” legal advice from several top-tier law firms about its compliance program.
The ACCC has taken a major wholesale supplier of sporting goods to court for allegedly setting minimum prices for cycling and sporting goods in its agreements with retailers.