Week of  March 30 - April 5, 2026

🗓️ March 30, 2026

• SEC Obtains Final Consent Judgments as to Two Southern California Residents Charged with Insider Trading. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered final consent judgments against Brent Cranmer and Daniel McCormick in the SEC’s civil enforcement action for insider trading in Kaman Corporation securities. Cranmer, while head of a Kaman subsidiary, allegedly shared nonpublic information about Kaman’s sale with Jonathan Whitesides, who then tipped McCormick, resulting in combined profits of over a million dollars. Cranmer was ordered to pay a $50,000 penalty and is barred from being an officer or director of a public company for five years, while McCormick was ordered to disgorge $115,598, satisfied by a forfeiture order in a parallel criminal case. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Charges Connecticut Resident in Alleged Insider Trading Scheme. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed insider trading charges against Ronald Smith, a Connecticut resident and former registered representative, for trading securities based on material nonpublic information obtained from his colleague Jordan Meadow. Meadow allegedly received the information from Steven Teixeira, who misappropriated it from his then-partner’s laptop at a New York-based investment bank. Smith and Meadow used this information to generate approximately $530,000 in illicit profits and recommended trades to customers, resulting in millions in profits and significant commissions. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Obtains Final Judgments Against Titanium Capital and Founder Henry Abdo for Operating a Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a final judgment against Henry Abdo and his company, Titanium Capital LLC, for operating a Ponzi scheme, raising over $5.3 million from at least 162 investors by falsely promising guaranteed double-digit returns. The Court ordered Abdo and Titanium to disgorge $2,920,668 and pay $467,933 in prejudgment interest, offset by $375,479 from a parallel criminal action, and permanently enjoined them from violating federal securities laws. The SEC’s litigation, conducted by Daniel Maher and supervised by James Carlson, concluded with the dismissal of claims against Carol Ann Barsh and relief defendants Elias Halim Abdo and Ganna Migulina. 🔗 Read more
• Federal Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against Peken Global Limited. Washington - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a consent order against Peken Global Limited, which operates the KuCoin exchange, for allowing U.S. participants to trade without registering with the CFTC. Peken Global is permanently enjoined from future violations and must pay a $500,000 penalty, with no disgorgement imposed due to its cooperation in investigations. The order also dismisses all claims against other defendants and certain counts against Peken Global, resolving all issues in the CFTC’s complaint. 🔗 Read more
• François-Louis Michaud to take up his role as Chair of the European Banking Authority. François-Louis Michaud has been formally appointed as Chair of the European Banking Authority (EBA), effective from 16 April 2026, following a decision by the Council of the European Union. Helmut Ettl, Vice Chair of the EBA, congratulated Michaud on his appointment, highlighting his extensive experience in banking supervision and regulation. Michaud expressed his commitment to ensuring effective regulation and supervision across the EU and supporting a resilient Single Market. 🔗 Read more
• The EBA streamlines supervisory approvals for IRB model changes. The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on material model changes to make the supervisory approval process for banks using Internal Ratings Based (IRB) models more efficient. These amendments reduce the number of changes classified as material by relying on quantitative thresholds and limiting qualitative triggers, thus easing the administrative burden on banks and supervisors while maintaining oversight. The revised RTS align with the Capital Requirements Regulation III (CRR3) and support the European Central Bank’s (ECB) efforts to simplify approval processes, aiming for quicker IRB model approvals in the EU. 🔗 Read more
• EIOPA proposes amendments aimed at easing insurers’ supervisory reporting and disclosure requirements. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has submitted draft amendments to the European Commission for two Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) under Solvency II, aiming to reduce the reporting burden by at least 25% across all sectors. The amendments propose reducing the frequency of certain templates, deleting some annual templates, and introducing technical simplifications, resulting in a 26% reduction in quarterly templates for solo undertakings and a 30% reduction in annual templates. EIOPA believes these changes will enhance proportionality without compromising policyholder protection and financial stability. 🔗 Read more
• EIOPA publishes the Ultimate Forward Rate (UFR) for 2027. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published the calculation of the Ultimate Forward Rate (UFR) for 2027, with the UFR for all relevant currencies, except the Chinese renminbi (yuan), remaining unchanged from the previous year. The UFR for the euro is maintained at 3.30%, while the UFR for the renminbi decreases by 15 basis points to 4.05%. The calculation details are available in the report on the calculation of the Ultimate Forward Rate for 2027, following the methodology outlined in Annex E of the RFR Technical Documentation. 🔗 Read more
• EIOPA publishes third Report on the application of the Insurance Distribution Directive. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) released its Third Report on the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), highlighting trends such as a decrease in registered intermediaries due to consolidation and stricter requirements, alongside a 12% increase in EU passport intermediaries indicating cross-border interest. The report notes improvements in advice quality in some markets but persistent issues like long claims processing times and poorly understood sustainability disclosures. It also points out challenges in digital distribution, misaligned incentives, and insufficient transparency, urging continued attention to these areas to support the European Commission’s Retail Investment Strategy and future IDD review. 🔗 Read more

🗓️ March 31, 2026

• SEC Highlights Financial Independence During Financial Literacy Month. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance (OIEA) is highlighting financial planning tools and resources on Investor.gov during April’s National Financial Literacy Month to promote financial independence. Key advice includes starting early, living within means, investing consistently, paying down high-interest debt, and having an emergency fund, with additional focus on long-term investing, tax-advantaged accounts, and avoiding scams. SEC staff will engage in outreach events, including presentations to military members and webinars for older adults, to provide investor education and fraud prevention information. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Charges Two Individuals in Alleged Fraudulent Scheme to Misappropriate Millions of Dollars from Two Penny Stock Issuers. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Scott Sand and Jon Fullenkamp with a fraud scheme involving the misappropriation of millions from two penny stock issuers, where they exercised significant control despite not being formally identified as management. The SEC’s complaint alleges they engaged in sham agreements to issue preferred shares to a Fullenkamp-controlled entity, realizing $2.6 million in proceeds, and seeks various penalties and injunctions against them. Fullenkamp consented to a judgment without denying the allegations and faces parallel criminal charges, while the SEC’s investigation and litigation are led by officials from the Philadelphia Regional Office. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Obtains Consent Judgment as to Former CEO of NewAge, Inc. The United States District Court for the District of Colorado entered a final consent judgment against Brent David Willis in the SEC’s civil enforcement action. The SEC alleged that Willis, as CEO of NewAge, Inc., made false and misleading statements and aided selective disclosure of material nonpublic information from July 2017 to April 2019. Willis consented to a judgment that enjoins him from making false statements, orders him to pay a $175,000 penalty, and imposes a five-year officer and director bar. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Obtains Judgments as to Chicago-Based Investment Adviser and Its CEO for Allegedly Charging Improper Fees. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered judgments in the SEC’s enforcement action against P/E Capital Investment Management Partners and its CEO, Eliseo Prisno, for charging over 200 clients approximately $2.4 million in unauthorized fees from February 2019 to July 2023. Prisno and P/E Capital consented to the judgments, which permanently enjoin them from violating antifraud provisions and order them to pay disgorgement with interest and a civil penalty, with amounts to be determined by the Court. Additionally, Prisno is enjoined from being associated with any broker, dealer, or investment adviser, either permanently or for a specified duration. 🔗 Read more
• FDIC Issues 2026 Consumer Compliance Supervisory Highlights. Washington - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued the 2026 edition of the Consumer Compliance Supervisory Highlights to enhance transparency about its consumer compliance supervisory activities. This publication provides a high-level overview of consumer compliance issues identified in 2025 through the supervision of state non-member banks and thrifts, including a summary of overall performance, frequently cited violations, and consumer complaint trends. 🔗 Read more
• FINRA Launches Financial Intelligence Fusion Center to Combat Cybersecurity and Fraud Threats. Washington - FINRA announced the launch of the Financial Intelligence Fusion Center (FIFC), a secure portal for sharing cybersecurity and fraud threat intelligence among FINRA and its member firms. The FIFC, part of FINRA Forward initiatives, aims to enhance member firms’ ability to respond to threats by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence, leveraging existing partnerships, and incorporating feedback from a pilot program. Greg Ruppert, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer at FINRA, emphasized the importance of the FIFC in building a resilient environment and strengthening trust in the markets. 🔗 Read more
• IAIS concludes multi-year cycle of Holistic Framework implementation assessments. The IAIS has completed its multi-year cycle of assessing the implementation of the Holistic Framework for systemic risk in the insurance sector. The 2025 Targeted Jurisdictional Assessment evaluated six new jurisdictions overseeing 10 Internationally Active Insurance Groups, while progress was also reviewed in 10 original jurisdictions from the 2022 assessment. These reports showcase strong strides in systemic risk mitigation and reaffirm the Holistic Framework's role in global financial stability. 🔗 Read more
• Eurosystem sets out comprehensive strategy for future of European payments. The Eurosystem has published a comprehensive payments strategy that outlines its vision for the evolution of Europe’s payments amid rapid technological change, covering wholesale, business-to-business, retail, and cross-border payments. The strategy emphasizes maintaining the key role of central bank money, promoting innovation through tokenisation, and supporting the international role of the euro, while ensuring that payments remain reliable, fast, competitive, and open for innovation. It also integrates major Eurosystem initiatives like the digital euro and cross-border payment enhancements, complementing efforts to keep euro cash widely available and accessible. 🔗 Read more
• AUSTRAC opens enrolment for new professions in next step for AML reforms. AUSTRAC is launching the next phase of Australia’s anti-money laundering reforms, allowing businesses like lawyers, accountants, and real estate professionals to enrol online starting 31 March. This expansion will increase the number of regulated businesses from 19,000 to nearly 100,000 by 1 July, marking the most significant overhaul of the AML/CTF framework in over 20 years. The reforms aim to close gaps, enhance protections, and align Australia with global standards, requiring businesses to comply with new obligations by 1 July 2026. 🔗 Read more

🗓️  April 1, 2026

• SEC Charges Former Executive and his Friend with Insider Trading. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against Michael A. Smith, former President and COO of PetIQ, Inc., and Douglas Joshua Dalton for insider trading related to the acquisition of PetIQ by Bansk Group LP. Smith used nonpublic information to purchase PetIQ stock in his ex-wife’s accounts, and Dalton bought call options based on this information, resulting in over $200,000 in profits when the acquisition was announced. Smith has pleaded guilty to securities fraud, and both face charges of violating the Securities Exchange Act, with the SEC seeking injunctions, disgorgement, penalties, and a bar on Smith serving as an officer or director of a public company. 🔗 Read more
• CFTC Resolves Action Against Former FTX Head of Engineering. Washington - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a supplemental consent order against Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX, requiring him to disgorge $3.7 million, cooperate with the Commission, and face a five-year trading ban and an eight-year registration ban. This order, along with the initial consent order from April 2023, resolves the CFTC’s enforcement action against Singh for fraud by misappropriation and aiding such fraud, reflecting the severity of his violations but also acknowledging his cooperation in the investigation and related criminal proceedings. 🔗 Read more
• IOSCO announces 3rd IMF-IOSCO Conference. IOSCO and the IMF announced their third joint conference on Market-Based Finance in Washington, DC, to be held at IMF HQ on Monday, April 13, 2026, as part of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings. The conference will feature a fireside chat between IOSCO Board Chair Jean-Paul Servais and U.S. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, as well as high-level panels on digital assets and the retailization of illiquid assets, and it will be livestreamed and open to all registered participants of the IMF meetings, including press. 🔗 Read more
• ESMA clarifies expectations in the run-up to the launch of EU’s Consolidated Tapes. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has released Q&As on the onboarding of data contributors to the EU’s Consolidated Tapes (CTs) and operational rules for Consolidated Tape Providers (CTPs) to enhance certainty for market participants before the CTs go live. ESMA, in collaboration with National Competent Authorities, emphasizes the legal obligation of trading venues and Authorised Publication Arrangements to contribute data to CTPs from the go-live date and expects data contributors to engage with CTPs for data transmission setup, including protocol agreements and testing. Additionally, ESMA requires CTPs to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information during the preparatory phase. 🔗 Read more

🗓️ April 2, 2026

• SEC Announces Agenda and Panelists for Roundtable on Options Market Structure. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the agenda and panelists for its April 16, 2026, roundtable on options market structure, to be held at the SEC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The event will be open to the public and webcast live, with registration required for in-person attendance and no registration needed for online viewing. More information, including how to submit comments, is available on the SEC Roundtable on Options Market Structure event page. 🔗 Read more
• SEC Charges Estate of Massachusetts Investment Adviser and his Company for Allegedly Breaching Fiduciary Duties and Misappropriating Client Funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the estate of former investment adviser John R. Brodacki, III, and his company, Castle Hill Financial Group, LLC, for breaching fiduciary duties and misappropriating approximately $1.68 million in client funds. The SEC’s complaint alleges that from June 2018 through September 2025, Brodacki and Castle Hill fraudulently induced clients, many of whom were vulnerable, to transfer money, which was used for personal expenses rather than investments. The SEC seeks disgorgement, prejudgment interest, a civil money penalty, and a permanent injunction against Castle Hill. 🔗 Read more
• CFTC Sues Trio of States to Reaffirm its Exclusive Jurisdiction Over Prediction Markets. Washington - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois for challenging its exclusive jurisdiction over event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act. Despite Congress’s decision for a national framework to prevent a fragmented state regulatory system, these states have attempted to impose their own regulations. CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig emphasized the agency’s commitment to protecting market participants from inconsistent state obligations, and the CFTC is working on clarifying its regulatory authority over prediction markets. 🔗 Read more
• Federal Court Grants CFTC Motion for Summary Judgment, Orders Former Hedge Fund Manager to Pay $2.2 Million for Swap Valuation Fraud. Washington - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted a summary judgment against James R. Velissaris, finding him guilty of a fraudulent scheme violating the Commodity Exchange Act. The court imposed a $2.2 million civil penalty and permanently barred Velissaris from engaging in further violations, trading in CFTC-regulated markets, and registering with the Commission. The misconduct, which lasted from 2018 to 2021, involved inflating asset values at his hedge fund, Infinity Q Capital Management LLC, leading to substantial investor losses and over $125 million in excess fees. 🔗 Read more
• New FINRA Foundation Research Examines the Characteristics, Behaviors and Outcomes of Retail Investors Who Use Social Media. Washington - The FINRA Investor Education Foundation released research titled “Finfluencer Followers and Social Media Scrollers: The Profile, Patterns, and Pitfalls of Social-Media-Informed Retail Investors,” which examines retail investors using social media and following finfluencers for investment decisions. The study, part of the 2024 National Financial Capability Study, highlights that while social media engages underrepresented market participants, it also poses elevated fraud risks due to knowledge gaps. Key findings indicate that social media users are predominantly younger, male, and of color, with lower portfolio values and often overconfident in their investment knowledge. These users face higher fraud exposure, with 68% of social media users and 69% of finfluencer followers losing money to fraud, compared to 29% and 26% of non-users. Additionally, social media users seek information from more sources and have non-monetary motives for investing, such as entertainment and supporting personal values. 🔗 Read more
• AUSTRAC directs audit of payment platform over AML/CTF concerns. AUSTRAC has directed MHITS Limited to appoint an external auditor to assess its compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations, following a supervisory campaign that identified serious deficiencies in the payment platforms sector. The audit, to be completed within 180 days, aims to ensure that MHITS Limited is effectively managing high-risk payments, particularly those linked to child sexual exploitation, and will inform any necessary regulatory actions. AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas emphasized the importance of strong risk management and compliance systems, noting a significant increase in suspicious matter reports and the heightened likelihood of investigations. 🔗 Read more
• Public register makes it harder for criminals to launder money through crypto. Australia’s AML/CTF laws have been expanded to strengthen safeguards against money laundering through crypto and virtual assets, introducing greater oversight of businesses in this high-risk sector. The reforms include renaming digital currency exchange providers to virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and publishing a searchable public register to enhance transparency and support legitimate businesses. AUSTRAC has also cleaned up the register by engaging with inactive businesses, resulting in 62 exiting the sector, to protect the integrity of the register and deter serious and organized crime. 🔗 Read more

🗓️ April 3, 2026

• Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with former employee of United Bank. The Federal Reserve Board announced a consent prohibition against Mollie Morrow, a former employee of United Bank in Fairfax, Virginia, for embezzling bank funds. 🔗 Read more
• CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Deputy General Counsel Appointments. Washington - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced that Stephen D. Andrews and M. Jordan Minot have been appointed as deputy general counsel for regulation and litigation, respectively. Andrews, previously general counsel to Senator Josh Hawley, will lead the Regulatory Branch, while Minot, who served in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, will lead the Litigation, Enforcement, and Adjudication Branch. Both will support the CFTC’s rulemaking and litigation efforts to maintain its regulatory authority. 🔗 Read more
• FDIC Issues List of Banks Examined for CRA Compliance. Washington - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has released a list of state nonmember banks evaluated for compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) as of January 2026. The CRA, a 1977 law, mandates the FDIC to assess a bank’s efforts in meeting the credit needs of its community, including low- and moderate-income areas, while ensuring safe operations. Public disclosure of these evaluations has been required since July 1, 1990, and can be accessed through the FDIC’s Public Information Center or directly from the banks. 🔗 Read more