Warning Savings protection Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning against the activities of unauthorized websites offering diamond investments
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBroker Dealer
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution warn the public against the activities of several websites and entities proposing forex investments without being authorised to do so
BankBroker DealerWealth Manager Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) warns the public against the company International Markets Live LTD (IMarketsLive)
Broker DealerWealth ManagerFintech
Settlement Agreement between the Central Bank of Ireland and Merrion Stockbrokers Limited Merrion Stockbrokers Limited fined €200,000 by the Central Bank of Ireland in respect of failings pursuant to the Fitness and Probity regime. On 12 December 2017, the Central Bank of Ireland (the ‘Central Bank’) fined Merrion Stockbrokers Limited (‘Merrion’) €200,000 and reprimanded it for a breach of section 21 of the Central Bank Reform Act 2010 (the ‘2010 Act’). Merrion has admitted this breach, which...
The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) fined Merrion Stockbrokers Limited €200,000 on 12 December 2017 for breaching section 21 of the Central Bank Reform Act 2010 by failing to implement adequate systems and controls under the Fitness and Probity (F&P) regime from 1 December 2011 to at least April 2015. This first-ever enforcement action against a firm for section 21 violations underscores firms' primary responsibility for ongoing due diligence on Controlled Functions (CFs) and Pre-Approval Controlled Functions (PCFs), signaling heightened CBI scrutiny on governance and accountability post-financial crisis.
What Changed
- This 2017 enforcement does not introduce new regulatory changes but enforces existing requirements under the F&P regime, established via the Central Bank Reform Act 2010 and effective from 1 December...
- Firms must maintain adequate systems and procedures for initial and ongoing due diligence to ensure CFs/PCFs meet F&P Standards (fitness: competence, integrity; probity: honesty).
- Ongoing monitoring beyond initial checks, with written records and centralized documentation for each individual.
- Accurate classification of roles as CFs/PCFs; failure here constituted a breach.
No subsequent statutory changes are noted in the publication, but it reinforces that firms bear ultimate...
Suggested Considerations
- Develop/improve written policies and procedures for initial and ongoing due diligence on CFs/PCFs, including centralized records per individual.
- Conduct thorough due diligence at appointment and continuously monitor compliance with F&P Standards; maintain demonstrable records.
- Ensure accurate CF/PCF classification for all relevant roles (e.g., executive directors, finance heads, client advisors).
- Implement monitoring systems to detect changes in fitness/probity and report to CBI if Standards are breached.
- Board-level oversight: Review and remediate gaps, as post-2016 Merrion Board did.
Key Dates
- Fitness and Probity regime effective; Merrion's breach period begins
- Management buy-out and new Board appointed; initial compliance improvements start
- Merrion implements first written F&P policies and procedures
- CBI inspection identifies breaches
- CBI imposes €200,000 fine and reprimand via settlement agreement; investigation closed
Compliance Impact
Urgency: Medium - While from 2017, this foundational enforcement remains highly relevant for ongoing F&P obligations, with risks of fines/reprimands during CBI inspections (as in Merrion's 2016 review). It matters because firms hold primary accountability for a regime designed post-crisis to prevent unfit individuals in key roles; non-compliance exposes entities to significant reputational, financial (€200k precedent), and operational risks, especially amid evolving governance scrutiny.
AI-generated analysis. May contain errors or omissions — verify with the
original CBI source
before acting. Full disclaimer.
Broker DealerWealth ManagerAll Firms
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning against the activities of unauthorized websites offering binary options trading
Broker DealerFintechCrypto Exchange
Warning Warning Atypical products Savings protection Buying Bitcoin: the AMF and the ACPR issue a warning to savers
BankCrypto ExchangeFintech
Warning Savings protection Atypical products Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is publishing a list on its website of unauthorized companies proposing atypical investments without being authorized to do so
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBank
Warning Savings protection The AMF issues a warning about the website https://crowd-partners.com/
BankWealth ManagerFintech
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution warn the public against the activities of several websites and entities proposing forex investments without being authorised to do so
BankBroker DealerWealth Manager Warning Savings protection Miscellaneous assets Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning against the activities of unauthorized websites offering diamond investments
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBroker Dealer
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning against the activities of unauthorized websites offering binary options trading
Broker DealerFintechCrypto Exchange
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) warns the public against the activities of "Naftoil" and its director Mr Raphael Comté proposing investments services without being authorized to do so
Asset ManagerWealth Manager
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is publishing a list on its website of unauthorized diamond investments platforms
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBroker Dealer
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) warns the public against the activities of www.chs-capital.com engaging in unauthorized investment services
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBroker Dealer
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning against the activities of unauthorized websites offering binary options
Broker DealerFintechAll Firms
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution warn the public against the activities of several websites and entities proposing forex investments without being authorised to do so
BankBroker DealerWealth Manager Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers warns once again the public about proposals to invest in diamonds
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBank
Warning Savings protection Forex and binary options Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution warn the public against the activities of several websites and entities proposing forex investments without being authorised to do so
Broker DealerWealth ManagerFintech
Warning Savings protection Warning The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) issues a public warning issues a public warning against the activity of unauthorized websites offering binary options trading
Broker DealerFintechAll Firms
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) advises the clients of the website eu.bancdebinary.com to contact Banc de Binary Ltd, the owner of these websites, as soon as possible
Broker DealerWealth Manager
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers warns the public about the product "VIAGEFI 6 LIMITED"
BankWealth Manager
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des marchés financiers warns the public about proposals to invest in diamonds
Asset ManagerWealth ManagerBank
Warning Savings protection The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) advises the clients of the websites www.ytftradeltd.com, www.investing-area.com, www.buzztrade.com, www.binaryroyal.com and www.cfdroyal.com to contact AirFinance Pro Ltd, the owner of these websites, as soon as possible
Broker DealerWealth ManagerFintech