Door not closed on Armstrong criminal charge February 6, 2013 DISGRACED former cyclist Lance Armstrong may yet face criminal charges in his native America, despite an attorney’s suggestion to the contrary, following his doping admissions. Armstrong is under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who could probe allegations he obstructed justice and intimidated witnesses, according to US media. Attorney Andre Birotte dropped a [...]
Yahoo confirms password leak July 12, 2012 MORE than 400,000 Yahoo usernames and passwords were stolen and published online yesterday after hackers exploited a vulnerability in the firm’s computer systems – on the same day that the internet firm held its AGM. Logins for Google, AOL and Microsoft services were also among those compromised in the attack. The three companies said they [...]
Transocean settlement set at $1.4bn January 3, 2013 DRILLING contractor Transocean yesterday agreed to pay $1.4bn (£867m) in fines to settle charges with the US government relating to the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Transocean, the Switzerland-based owner of the Deepwater Horizon vessel, will pay $1bn in civil penalties and $400m in criminal penalties over five years under the [...]
BP in talks to settle Gulf spill claims November 15, 2012 BP this morning confirmed that it was in “advanced discussions” with the US Department of Justice and the Securities & Exchange Commission to settle claims arising from the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010. The oil major said today it was discussing “proposed resolutions of all US federal government criminal and SEC claims against BP in [...]
Why David Cameron was right to stand up for free speech November 29, 2012 YESTERDAY wasn’t quite the tragic day for the freedom of the press that it could have been, for one reason only: at one minute to midnight, David Cameron came riding to the rescue of free speech. By refusing to back the Leveson report’s key demand – a new regulator underpinned by statute and ultimately policed [...]
HSBC’s fine stands as the first step on a lengthy journey December 11, 2012 HSBC is to pay a settlement of around $1.9bn (£1.2bn) under the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement reached with the US Department of Justice. It is the largest settlement of its kind to date, dwarfing fines paid by financial institutions like Standard Chartered and Barclays. But why is it so big? Firstly, it reflects [...]
Adoboli’s ex-trader colleague sets up new betting website November 21, 2012 A FORMER colleague of jailed rogue trader Kweku Adoboli, who worked on the same desk as the convicted trader when Adoboli racked up unauthorised losses of $2.3bn (£1.4bn), is to launch a new business – an online betting service. John Hughes, 30, was one of four traders working on the bank’s Exchange Traded Funds desk [...]
Betfair is cashing out of Greece over crackdown November 26, 2012 BETFAIR has pulled out of Greece in its second European exit in a month, citing the threat of sanctions from the country’s gambling authorities. The exchange betting operator has been trading without a licence in the country, claiming that Greek gambling laws violate EU ones. Earlier this month the Greek Gambling Commission announced a clampdown [...]
Brooks hits out at CPS decision to press charges May 15, 2012 REBEKAH Brooks, former chief executive of News International, was yesterday charged with three counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. In a statement yesterday evening Brooks said she was “baffled” by the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision. “Whilst I have always respected the criminal justice system, you have to question whether this decision has [...]
US regulator slaps record fine on HSBC December 10, 2012 HSBC has agreed to pay out a record $1.9bn (£1.2bn) to US authorities over charges related to money laundering, it emerged last night. In a major victory for prosecutors, the British bank will today admit to breaking laws by transferring billions from drug cartels and terrorists through the US financial system. The sum – an [...]