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Volkswagen faces EU fine for missing 2020 emissions targets REUTERS Volkswagen faces a fine of more than 100 million euros ($121 million) for missing EU targets on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from its 2020 passenger car fleet, the world’s largest carmaker said on Thursday. Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to cheating emissions tests on diesel engines, a scandal that has cost it more than 30 billion euros in regulatory fines and vehicle refits, mostly in the United States. read more »

Ex-Coach Sentenced to 10 Years for Raping Star Skater NEW YORK TIMES A former national speedskating coach in South Korea was sentenced on Thursday to more than a decade in prison on charges of raping an Olympic athlete.

Space Force delays deal to ‘further evaluate’ contractor found to have acted fraudulently WASHINGTON POST

Harvey Weinstein can be questioned in accusers’ civil lawsuit, judge rules REUTERS A federal judge in Manhattan on Tuesday rejected Harvey Weinstein's request to delay a deposition in a civil lawsuit by women who accused the imprisoned movie producer of sexual abuse and workplace harassment.

Gary Gensler, Biden's pick to head SEC, has reputation as tough regulator NBC In nominating Gary Gensler to serve as chairman for the Securities and Exchange Commission, President-elect Joe Biden is likely to please progressives, who have been agitating for more bank oversight after four years of deregulatory policy under President Donald Trump’s SEC pick, Jay Clayton, who stepped down in December.

Toyota settles U.S. probe into delayed emissions defect reports for $180 million REUTERS Toyota Motor Corp settled a lengthy Justice Department civil probe into its delayed filing of emissions-related defect reports for $180 million, the government said on Thursday. The government said the settlement resolved Toyota’s “systematic, longstanding violations of Clean Air Act emission-related defect reporting requirements, which require manufacturers to report potential defects and recalls affecting vehicle components designed to control emissions.” read more »

Justice Department Recovers Over $2.2 Billion from False Claims Act Cases in Fiscal Year 2020 DOJ

Boeing to pay $25M to settle fraud case at drone unit Insitu that sparked whistleblower complaint SEATTLE TIMES Boeing’s drone subsidiary, Insitu, will pay $25 million to settle a federal lawsuit accusing it of fraudulently overcharging the government on no-bid military contracts by billing for new parts but using recycled ones.

U.S. asks Tesla to recall 158,000 vehicles for touchscreen failures REUTERS The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Wednesday asked Tesla Inc to recall 158,000 Model S and Model X vehicles over media control unit failures that could pose safety risks by leading to touchscreen displays not working.

Biden to name Gary Gensler as U.S. SEC chair REUTERS Gary Gensler will be named chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by President-elect Joe Biden, said two sources familiar with the matter, an appointment likely to prompt concern among Wall Street firms of tougher regulation.

SEC Charges Real Estate Fund Manager With Misappropriating Over $7 Million From Retail Investors SEC The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged fund manager Eric C. Malley and his company MG Capital Management L.P. with defrauding retail investors in two real estate funds managed by MG Capital.

Hyundai recall 471,000 Tucson SUVs: Automaker says owners should park outside USA TODAY Hyundai is adding about 471,000 SUVs to a September U.S. recall for an electrical short in a computer that could cause fires. And the company is warning owners to park the SUVs outdoors until the problem is repaired.

New law cracks down on shell companies to combat corruption ABC A watershed reform of U.S. money laundering laws could allow investigators to uncover the proceeds of foreign bribery, drug trafficking and terrorism in just a few keystrokes The new legislation quietly passed by Congress last month after a decade-long fight is the most sweeping banking reform of its kind since passage of the Patriot Act, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Boeing agrees to pay $2.5B+ to settle criminal fraud charges over 737 MAX SEATTLE TIMES Boeing has agreed with the U.S. government to pay more than $2.5 billion to defer prosecution and resolve a charge of “criminal misconduct” in its certification of the 737 MAX, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

SEC Issues Over $1.1 Million to Multiple Whistleblowers SEC The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced awards totaling more than $1.1 million to five whistleblowers who provided high-quality information that led to successful enforcement actions.

California Challenges OCC Rule That Facilitates Predatory Lending Schemes CA AG

Fort Hood Found to Have “Toxic Culture” After Sexually Harassed Soldier's Murder FOX NEWS The murder of Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old soldier at the sprawling Texas Army base of Fort Hood last April, by another soldier who had sexually harassed her captured headlines across the world.

550,000 pickups are cheating on diesel emissions. Emissions testing might not be enough to stop them THE DAY Federal investigators estimate hundreds of thousands of Americans have illegally rigged their diesel pickups to collectively emit 16 times the level of pollution they otherwise would have over the last 10 years, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Millions of Dollars in False Claims Submitted to HUD’s FHA Mortgage Insurance Program DOJ The United States has filed a civil complaint in federal court in Brooklyn seeking damages and penalties against three individuals and multiple companies alleged to have engaged in a wide-ranging mortgage fraud scheme to defraud the government.

Child labor in palm oil industry tied to Girl Scout cookies AP NEWS Olivia, who earned a badge for selling more than 600 boxes of cookies, had spotted palm oil as an ingredient on the back of one of her packages but was relieved to see a green tree logo next to the words “certified sustainable.” She assumed that meant her Thin Mints and Tagalongs weren’t harming rainforests, orangutans or those harvesting the orange-red palm fruit.