Bank of America reshuffles staff to meet anti-money laundering demands

Chief Financial Officer Alastair Borthwick told analysts that the bank has poured resources into both personnel and technology to satisfy the Treasury Department and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The current consent order mandates an external audit of historical transactions to identify previously missed illicit activity. Despite the scale of the intervention, Borthwick emphasized that the order includes no asset caps or restrictions on the bank’s broader business operations.

CEO Brian Moynihan noted that the costs associated with these compliance fixes are already integrated into the bank's existing expense outlook. The regulatory pressure stems from a 2024 investigation that uncovered widespread deficiencies in monitoring systems and customer due diligence. Shares of the bank dropped 8% following the announcement, reflecting investor concerns over the long-term impact of the regulatory scrutiny. Former Justice Department attorney Michael Padula warned that regulators now expect sustained, fundamental improvements rather than superficial, short-term adjustments to the bank's compliance framework.