MAS Enforces Higher Penalties and Secures More Convictions Amid Financial Misconduct Surge

SINGAPORE – The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has stepped up its enforcement efforts, reporting significantly higher penalties and a rise in convictions to maintain Singapore’s reputation as a trusted financial center. According to the MAS Enforcement Report, released on September 19, 2023, the Enforcement Directorate has been addressing increasingly complex cases involving large-scale misconduct and cross-border activities.

MAS Enforcement Report Highlights

In the 2022-2023 period, MAS secured 39 criminal convictions, a notable increase from just seven in 2020-2021. Civil penalties also surged, with S$12.96 million imposed, alongside S$7.88 million in financial penalties, reflecting MAS’s commitment to rigorous regulatory action.

Among the 136 cases opened this year, MAS targeted 32 for insider trading, 22 for false trading, and 20 for unlicensed activities. The time required for enforcement actions varied, with criminal prosecutions averaging 26 months and civil penalties taking around 47 months.

Notable Cases and Penalties

Recent high-profile cases include a S$12.6 million civil penalty against Noble Group for publishing misleading financial information and prohibitions on Three Arrows Capital directors. Composition penalties for breaches of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements totaled S$3.8 million, involving Citibank, DBS, OCBC, and Swiss Life. Additionally, a lifetime prohibition order was issued against Roger Ng, former managing director at Goldman Sachs Singapore, following his conviction related to the 1MDB scandal.

Ongoing Vigilance in Financial Enforcement

MAS’s Enforcement Directorate, established in 2016, continues to work closely with both local and international partners to address cross-border financial misconduct. MAS has emphasized that ensuring ethical conduct among asset and wealth managers is crucial to Singapore’s position as a leading wealth management hub.

Executive Director Peggy Pao-Keerthi Pei Yu highlighted MAS’s commitment to addressing sophisticated and challenging cases, stating, “MAS will maintain constant vigilance to uphold the integrity of our financial landscape.”