Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) is currently under investigation by the U.S. Federal Reserve, with a focus on its wealth-management division. The examination aims to determine whether the bank has effective controls in place to prevent potential money laundering by affluent foreign clients. The Wall Street Journal initially reported this development, citing individuals familiar with the matter.
Insiders reveal that the Federal Reserve is particularly interested in the procedures Morgan Stanley employs to scrutinize foreign clients and assess the sources of their wealth before onboarding them. What initially began as a routine review a few years ago escalated into a more in-depth investigation after regulators identified shortcomings in Morgan Stanley’s due diligence on clients and its anti-money laundering measures.
Privately admonished by the Federal Reserve for not implementing necessary changes, Morgan Stanley’s Head of Wealth Management, Andy Saperstein, has been engaging in discussions with Fed officials to address the identified issues.
Both the Federal Reserve and Morgan Stanley have refrained from offering official comments on the ongoing scrutiny.
Additional Legal Challenges for Morgan Stanley
In addition to the current investigation, Morgan Stanley faces other legal challenges. Recent reports suggest that the bank is considering a settlement ranging from $500 million to $1 billion to resolve a longstanding probe into its handling of private stock sales. As part of the potential settlement with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Morgan Stanley is expected to commit to strengthening its internal controls.
In a separate legal victory, Morgan Stanley, along with DRW Securities LLC and Barclays Capital (a division of Barclays PLC), successfully had a VIX index manipulation lawsuit dismissed. The lawsuit alleged that the firms, including Morgan Stanley, manipulated the VIX index in 2018, causing significant losses to investment funds holding options contracts tied to the benchmark. The defendants argued that the claims were false and “fatally flawed.”
Over the last six months, Morgan Stanley’s shares have experienced a 9.3% decline, in contrast to the industry’s 2.4% rise. The bank continues to navigate both regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges in a dynamic financial landscape.
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