Deutsche Bank accepts $5.5 mln fine as money-laundering probe closes
Xinhua
1575683906000

VCG31N1154624560.jpg

People enter the Deutsche Bank AG headquarters at 60 Wall Street in New York, U.S., on Monday, July 8, 2019. (File photo: VCG)

FRANKFURT, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Deutsche Bank AG said Friday that the Frankfurt public prosecutor's office has closed a suspected money laundering probe and the bank accepts an administrative fine for shortcomings in its control environment.

Deutsche Bank said in a statement quoting the public prosecutor's office that criminal investigations into two of its employees, concerning German client interactions with off-shore entities established by the bank's former subsidiary Regula Ltd., were closed due to lack of sufficient suspicion.

The bank, however, said it accepts "in a separate fine proceeding" a fine of 5 million euros (5.5 million U.S. dollars) and the confiscation of avoided expenses of 10 million euros as a result of "shortcomings in its control environment."

In connection with the investigation, in November last year, a raid was conducted in Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Frankfurt and other business premises around, causing the bank's shares to tumble and worries among investors.

Joerg Eigendorf, spokesperson for Deutsche Bank, said the investigation "had a heavy impact on Deutsche Bank last year."  

"It is true that the bank had weaknesses in its control environment in the past. We identified these weaknesses, and we have addressed them in a disciplined manner," Eigendorf said in the statement.