FCA Slams Barclays with Fresh $108-Million Fine

Thursday, 26/11/2015 | 10:24 GMT by Irina Slav
  • The UK markets regulator found that the bank had neglected its own due diligence procedures.
FCA Slams Barclays with Fresh $108-Million Fine
Bloomberg

The Financial Conduct Authority announced that it has imposed a fine of £72.07 million ($108.56 mln) on Barclays (LON:BARC) related to a £1.88 ($2.83 bln) billion transaction involving ultra-high net worth clients with high risk profiles.

Low-risk due diligence on high-risk deal

The bank failed to conduct appropriate due diligence on this transaction, the FCA said, which involved investing in warrant-backed notes and notes backed by third-party bonds. In fact, it added, Barclays applied a lower level of due diligence than it did on other transactions that involved clients with a lower risk profile. Still, the watchdog noted that the bank had not actually committed a crime. Barclays earned £52.3 million ($78.86 mln) in revenues from the deal – the largest of its kind it had conducted, the FCA also said.

A string of fines

Barclays has been the focus of a number of investigations leading to fines of various sizes. Last week Finance Magnates reported that the New York Department of Financial Services found the UK lender guilty of manipulating FX markets via its electronic Trading Platform , hitting it with a fine of $150 million.

A few days before that, Barclays settled a case brought against it by a group of financial institutions claiming to have suffered from its Libor -manipulating practices, that cost it $120 million.

In October, the bank, along with the Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, agreed to settle with another group of claimants in the Libor scandal for a total of $900 million. Barclays’ share of this fine was the largest, at $384 million.

The Financial Conduct Authority announced that it has imposed a fine of £72.07 million ($108.56 mln) on Barclays (LON:BARC) related to a £1.88 ($2.83 bln) billion transaction involving ultra-high net worth clients with high risk profiles.

Low-risk due diligence on high-risk deal

The bank failed to conduct appropriate due diligence on this transaction, the FCA said, which involved investing in warrant-backed notes and notes backed by third-party bonds. In fact, it added, Barclays applied a lower level of due diligence than it did on other transactions that involved clients with a lower risk profile. Still, the watchdog noted that the bank had not actually committed a crime. Barclays earned £52.3 million ($78.86 mln) in revenues from the deal – the largest of its kind it had conducted, the FCA also said.

A string of fines

Barclays has been the focus of a number of investigations leading to fines of various sizes. Last week Finance Magnates reported that the New York Department of Financial Services found the UK lender guilty of manipulating FX markets via its electronic Trading Platform , hitting it with a fine of $150 million.

A few days before that, Barclays settled a case brought against it by a group of financial institutions claiming to have suffered from its Libor -manipulating practices, that cost it $120 million.

In October, the bank, along with the Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, agreed to settle with another group of claimants in the Libor scandal for a total of $900 million. Barclays’ share of this fine was the largest, at $384 million.

About the Author: Irina Slav
Irina  Slav
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