Lloyds Banking Group is set to face an investigation into its anti-money laundering (AML) controls following alleged breaches.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) are reportedly looking into the bank’s AML procedures and controls after concerns were raised about potential gaps in its compliance.

AML regulations are in place to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing by ensuring that financial institutions have robust procedures in place to detect and report suspicious activity. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines and damage to a bank’s reputation.

Lloyds has confirmed that it is cooperating with the investigation and is committed to addressing any issues that may arise. The bank has stated that it takes its AML obligations seriously and has invested heavily in its compliance systems in recent years.

However, this investigation comes at a time when financial institutions are under increasing scrutiny for their AML controls. Regulators are stepping up enforcement actions and imposing stricter penalties on banks that fail to meet their obligations.

It remains to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be for Lloyds, but it serves as a reminder to all financial institutions of the importance of having robust AML controls in place.