BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas to Pay $90M After Pleading Guilty in FX Currency Rigging Probe

Published on: January 31, 2018 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

BNP Paribas USA (BNP), A BNP Paribas unit, will pay $90M to settle a criminal case alleging foreign currency price manipulation. It also pleaded guilty by admitting that it conspired to fix prices for Eastern European, Central European, African, and Middle Eastern (CEEMEA)currencies between 9/2011 and 7/2013.

According to the US Justice Department, the BNP Paribas unit engaged in rigging prices through fake trades, orchestrated trades, and by quoting specific prices to certain customers, all on an electronic trading platform. The settlement also settles investigations conducted by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the US Federal Reserve.

In a statement, BNP Paribas USA said that it regretted “the past misconduct” that resulted in this case. The unit will now cooperate with the US government’s ongoing investigation into currency rigging involving the FX market. The bank joins Barclays Plc (BARC), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JP), Citigroup (C), UBS Group AG (UBS), and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS) in pleading guilty to currency rigging in US probes. Together, the six banks have agreed to pay over $2.8B in fines.

Three Ex-Traders Who Worked for Barclays, JPMorgan, and Citigroup Plead Not Guilty to Forex Rigging Charges While BNP Paribas is Fined $246M

Published on: July 17, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

In the US, former London traders Rohan Ramchandani, Chris Ashton, and Richard Usher have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges accusing them of conspiring to manipulate prices in the foreign exchange market. Ashton previously worked at Barclays (BARC) as the bank’s global head of spot currency trading. Ramchandani used to be Citigroup’s (C) G-10 spot currency trading head. Usher served a similar role at JPMorgan & Chase (JPM).

Prosecutors are accusing them of conspiring with other traders in a Forex rigging scheme to share sensitive client information through an electronic chat room referred to as the “Cartel,” as well as via phone, in order to quash competitors.

The criminal charges are related to a global probe into currency market rigging. To date, seven banks have paid approximately $10B fines over this type of manipulation, including Citigroup, Barclays (BARC), JPMorgan, and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

BNP Paribas Settles NY Currency Rigging Investigation for $350M

Published on: May 30, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

BNP Paribas will pay the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) $350M to settle a probe into allegations that it was involved in currency rigging in the bank’s foreign exchange business. In a statement, the French bank said that it “deeply regrets” the misconduct, which took place between ’07 and ’13.

The DFS said that over a dozen BNP Paribas sales people and traders in NY as well as other trading hubs rigged forex rates and took part in other illegal activities. BNP Paribas traders worked in online chat rooms with traders from competing companies, making fake trades and improperly sharing customer information that should have stayed confidential. Members of the bank’s sales team are also accused of misleading customers regarding prices.

Among the alleged misconduct cited by the DFS is that of a BNP Paribas trader in NY who is accused of not only rigging different currencies but also of executing bogus trades overnight to move rates and then frequently cancelling the trades within seconds of making them. In another example cited, one of the bank’s traders in Japan allegedly improperly disclosed customer information involving yen trading with several competitor traders.

BNP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges Over Sanctions Violations, Pays $8.8B Fine

Published on: June 30, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

BNP Paribas SA (BNP) has pleaded guilty to criminal U.S. charges that it violated sanctions. As part of the plea deal, the bank will pay an $8.8 billion fine.

According to the allegations, BNP processed funds involving Cuba, Iran and Sudan. The bank pleaded guilty to conspiracy, falsifying bank records, and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. It will not be allowed to clear U.S. dollars for up to a year. This suspension is significant, since dollar clearing is key to doing business with international clients.

With the BNP case, authorities are making it clear that no bank is immune from criminal charges. The probe revolved around its commodity-trade finance enterprises in Geneva, Switzerland and Paris, France. Unauthorized dollar payments were made for oil companies to entities in Iran and Sudan.