Citigroup is latest bank to be probed over unapproved messaging services

Citigroup is latest bank to be probed over unapproved messaging services
The SEC is probing Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and other firms over communications sent over unapproved electronic messaging channels.
MAR 01, 2022
By  Bloomberg

Citigroup Inc. joined the list of banks being investigated over employee communications using unauthorized messaging services.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is probing Citigroup Global Markets Inc. “and other firms regarding compliance with record-keeping obligations for broker-dealers and investment advisers in connection with business-related communications sent over unapproved electronic messaging channels,” the New York-based bank said in a regulatory filing Monday. “CGMI is cooperating with the investigation.”

Firms including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and HSBC Holdings Plc are being probed by U.S. regulators over staffers’ communications. In December, the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission imposed $200 million in fines on JPMorgan Chase & Co., saying that even managing directors and other senior supervisors at the bank had skirted regulatory scrutiny by using services such as WhatsApp or personal email addresses for work-related communication.

Wall Street firms have been required for decades to closely monitor and save staffers’ business communications, a task that’s been complicated in recent years by the proliferation of mobile technology and messaging apps. The system was strained further as banks sent workers home at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, making it harder to see who might be using an unmonitored device.

Independence still popular as recruiting recovers

Latest News

Maryland bars advisor over charging excessive fees to clients
Maryland bars advisor over charging excessive fees to clients

Blue Anchor Capital Management and Pickett also purchased “highly aggressive and volatile” securities, according to the order.

Wave of SEC appointments signals regulatory shift with implications for financial advisors
Wave of SEC appointments signals regulatory shift with implications for financial advisors

Reshuffle provides strong indication of where the regulator's priorities now lie.

US insurers want to take a larger slice of the retirement market through the RIA channel
US insurers want to take a larger slice of the retirement market through the RIA channel

Goldman Sachs Asset Management report reveals sharpened focus on annuities.

Why DA Davidson's wealth vice chairman still follows his dad's investment advice
Why DA Davidson's wealth vice chairman still follows his dad's investment advice

Ahead of Father's Day, InvestmentNews speaks with Andrew Crowell.

401(k) participants seek advice, but few turn to financial advisors
401(k) participants seek advice, but few turn to financial advisors

Cerulli research finds nearly two-thirds of active retirement plan participants are unadvised, opening a potential engagement opportunity.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today’s choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.

SPONSORED Beyond the dashboard: Making wealth tech human

How intelliflo aims to solve advisors' top tech headaches—without sacrificing the personal touch clients crave