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Failure of Consultancies to Identify Compliance Violations a ‘Serious’ Concern, Say Lawmakers

By Colby Adams

U.S. lawmakers called on regulators Thursday to review potential conflicts of interest involving third-party companies hired to evaluate banks' compliance with lending, capitalization and anti-money laundering rules. Led by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), members of the Senate Banking Committee criticized senior U.S. regulators for their alleged failure to effectively monitor the consultancies. The hearing followed a March report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) critical of the use of consultants prior to a $10 billion settlement with financial institutions for improper foreclosure practices. "In the financial crisis and its aftermath, we have seen case after case of wrongdoing at...

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