New York Times

HSBC Said to Near $1.9 Billion Settlement Over Money Laundering:

It appears that the old cliche is correct; “there is no honor among thieves”. Its all about the buck.

Federal and state authorities plan to announce a record $1.9 billion settlement with HSBC on Tuesday, a major victory in the government’s broad crackdown on money laundering at banks.

The courts sound like the “modern day mother” that keeps giving her kid time outs and is only exercising lip service.

This settlement is just a slap on the wrist for a company like the British banking giant HSBC that transferred billions of dollars on behalf of sanctioned nations like Iran and enabled Mexican drug cartels to launder money through the American financial system, according to officials briefed on the matter.

These backdoor, behind closed door whore deals will force the bank to forfeit more than $1.2 billion and pay additional penalties. This shake up is the largest to emerge from an investigation that has spanned several years and involved multiple government agencies.

Recently two other banking conglomerates got caught aiding and abetting the enemy and had to pay stiff fines. Standard Chartered to Pay $330 Million to Settle Iran Money Transfer Claims and Credit Suisse Pays $536 Million to Settle U.S. Personally I would call this type of dishonest activity “financial treason”.

Definition of treason
/ˈtrēzən/
Noun
The crime of betraying one’s country, esp. by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
The action of betraying someone or something.

Synonyms
treachery – betrayal – perfidy – disloyalty – sellout

It sounds pretty accurate to me. Because of their clandestine activities, these banking bandits put all of the countries  and it’s citizens that are defending their rights to do business in jeopardy.

There should be a legislation drawn up where these companies that deliberately conspire with the enemy be put out of business.

Fining guys like this is like taking one Cherrio out of a silo filled with oats. They will never miss it.  It has been proven that most of them are repeat offenders.

These meaningless slaps on the wrist they receive is nothing more than Monopoly money to them.

Pass go and put the thieves in jail.