Samuel Rasmussen

When President Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 10, 2025, pausing the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), he set off a chain reaction that has reverberated through boardrooms and government offices alike. The executive order gives the Department of Justice (DOJ) 180 days to review and revise its approach to FCPA enforcement, a move that could dramatically reshape how the U.S. tackles international corruption.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has handed down a default judgment against a network of offshore entities and individuals behind a massive binary options fraud scheme. The total financial penalty reaches a staggering $451 million in restitution and civil penalties. And for those involved? It’s a permanent ban from future trading in U.S. markets.

In his final days at the helm, President Joe Biden has issued what could either be interpreted as a parting gift or perhaps a stern directive to the nation—a sweeping executive order aimed at strengthening U.S. cybersecurity. It reflects the ongoing challenges faced by the administration in addressing the volatile and high-stakes world of digital threats.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) latest proposed rule isn’t just another notch in the belt of regulatory updates—it’s a call to arms for fairness, transparency, and accountability. Announced on January 13, 2025, this bold move challenges financial institutions to rethink the very foundations of how they engage with consumers.

Imagine this: a critical government agency, armed with some of the most robust cyber defenses money can buy, finds itself outflanked—not through the front gates, but by a side door left ajar by a trusted partner. This isn’t the plot of a Hollywood thriller; it’s the reality facing the U.S. Treasury Department after Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached its defenses by exploiting a vulnerability in third-party software.

The 2020s have been a relentless rollercoaster for businesses. From the pandemic to supply chain breakdowns, inflationary spirals, geopolitical tensions, and the meteoric rise of new technologies, disruption has rewritten the rules of survival. Yet, for some organizations, these upheavals are more than just hurdles—they are catalysts for transformation and growth.

In a damning chapter in the annals of corporate malfeasance to date, McKinsey & Company—the vaunted consulting powerhouse—has agreed to pay $650 million to resolve U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations into its role in fueling the opioid epidemic. With this settlement, McKinsey becomes the first consulting firm to face criminal charges for advising a client, Purdue Pharma L.P., on activities that significantly contributed to a public health catastrophe of staggering proportions.