Silvergate Settles for $68M Amid Compliance Probes

As a researcher with a background in financial regulation, I find this settlement between Silvergate Capital Corporation and various regulatory agencies to be a significant development in the field of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. The $68 million settlement is a harsh reminder of the importance of robust AML systems and accurate reporting for financial institutions.


As a crypto investor, I’d rephrase it as follows: I recently learned that Silvergate Capital Corporation will pay $68 million to resolve investigations into its compliance practices. This settlement marks the initial enforcement action taken in response to the 2023 U.S. bank failures, which involved collaboration between state and federal authorities.

As a researcher, I’ve come across some concerning findings from both the Federal Reserve and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) regarding Silvergate’s transaction monitoring systems. They pointed out weaknesses that could potentially allow violations of the anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. However, what added to their scrutiny was Silvergate’s failure to disclose these inadequacies. Consequently, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against the bank and its former executives for providing misleading information about their AML compliance efforts.

Former CEO Alan Lane and former Chief Risk Officer Kathleen Fraher have settled SEC charges, agreeing to officer-and-director bans and civil penalties without admitting guilt. Lane will face a $1 million fine and a five-year ban, while Fraher’s penalties include a $250,000 fine and a similar duration ban. On the other hand, Antonio Martino, the former CFO, has opted to contest the SEC’s allegations concerning misleading investor communications.

The SEC alleges that Silvergate fell short of its monitoring duties regarding approximately $1 trillion worth of transactions processed through its Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN). This oversight led to the identification of around $9 billion in questionable transfers linked to FTX and related parties.

This comprehensive agreement put an end to investigations led by the Federal Reserve, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which had threatened to cause instability for Silvergate Bank, now defunct. The accord imposed fines totaling $63 million on DFPI and the Federal Reserve, with SEC penalties amounting to $50 million being mitigated by payments to regulatory bodies.

In March 2023, Silvergate, which is located in La Jolla, California, chose to shut down its operations and initiate voluntary liquidation. This decision came about due to financial losses sustained from the collapse of FTX and a general slump in the digital asset market.

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2024-07-02 03:32