Block will pay an $80 million fine to settle claims by 48 state regulators that the fintech behind Cash App violated the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws. The company will also take corrective action to address the violations, including hiring an independent consultant to review the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of its BSA/AML program. The company has nine months to submit a report to the states, which include Arkansas, California,

Palmetto State Bank in Hampton, S.C., has a new leader. The $597 million-asset bank promoted Andy Westbrook to serve as its CEO. Westbrook, who was president and chief operating officer, will remain president. "With a wealth of experience in financial management and strategic planning, Andy brings invaluable expertise to our leadership team," the bank said in a LinkedIn post. "His dedication to excellence and deep understanding of the industry will

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has fined three former Wells Fargo executives an aggregate of $18.5 million tied to the San Francisco company's 2016 fake-accounts scandal. The OCC fined Claudia Russ Anderson, Wells' former community bank group risk officer, $10 million and issued her a lifetime ban from working in the banking industry. The regular claimed that she failed, from 2013 to 2016, to credibly challenge an

Franklin Financial Services in Chambersburg, Pa., has selected its next CEO. The $2.2 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that Craig Best had become its president. He will succeed the retiring Timothy Henry as CEO on April 29. Best, who stepped down as CEO at Peoples Financial Services last month, will join Franklin's board. He will receive a $523,000 annual salary and up to $50,000 in relocation expenses.

JPMorgan Chase in New York is shuffling managerial chairs before Daniel Pinto retires. The company said in a press release that Pinto will step down as president and chief operating officer on June 30. He will remain vice chairman until he fully retires at the end of 2026. Jennifer Piepszak will become COO. She is co-CEO of the commercial and investment bank. Doug Petno, co-head of global banking, will succeed

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has accused Capital One Financial in McLean, Va., of illegally avoiding paying more than $2 billion in interest to customers who had its high-interest savings account. The CFPB, in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claimed that the $354 billion-asset company promised depositors that its 360 Savings account provided one of the nation's "top," "best" and "highest" interest

Guaranty Bank has a new president. The $2 billion-asset bank, a unit of QCR Holdings in Moline, Ill., said in a press release that Becky Scorse had taken on the role. She will remain the bank's chief lending officer. “Becky’s exceptional leadership and deep understanding of our market have been instrumental in Guaranty Bank’s growth and success,” Monte McNew, Guaranty's CEO, said in the release. “Her dedication to our team,

Mechanics Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., has removed "interim" from its CEO's title. The $17 billion-asset bank said in a press release that C.J. Johnson is its permanent president and CEO. The bank's former chief financial officer, Johnson has been interim president and CEO since February 2024. “C.J. is a strong leader who knows our business, employees and clients well,” Carl Webb, the bank's chairman, said in the release. “He