Apple hit with $162 million French antitrust fine over privacy tool Reuters https://www.reuters.com/technology/french-antitrust-regulator-fines-apple-150-million-euros-over-privacy-tool-2025-03-31/ French antitrust regulators imposed a hefty fine of 150 million euros ($162.4 million) on Apple for exploiting its dominant market position in mobile app advertising through a controversial privacy control tool. This marks the first penalty by any antitrust authority related to Apple's App Tracking Transparency tool. It follows the European Union's imposition of a substantial 1.8 billion euro antitrust fine a year prior for obstructing competing music streaming services within its App Store. The head of the French Competition Authority dismissed concerns over potential retaliation from US President Donald Trump, who previously threatened to impose fines on EU nations penalizing American companies. Financier Jay Hambro fined over Wyelands Bank failings Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/40e82b2f-86bc-4c29-be58-a08f4ec9d76b The Bank of England has imposed a fine on prominent financier Jay Hambro for his actions as a director of Wyelands Bank, the British lender owned by Sanjeev Gupta that ultimately collapsed amid controversy. The Bank's Prudential Regulation Authority announced that it had set a �72,000 fine against Hambro for conduct that "fell below the standards expected of someone in his position within an authorized firm and demonstrated a grave lack of due skill, care, and diligence." Wyelands Bank was part of Gupta's GFG Alliance, a conglomerate spanning steel and finance. At its height, the bank attracted over �700 million in deposits from savers, but in March 2021, regulators mandated the return of those funds due to escalating concerns about its financial health. Deutsche Bank�s asset manager fined �25mn over greenwashing scandal Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/5104889e-3e20-44fd-9d24-966add0ac64c Deutsche Bank�s asset management division, DWS, has been slapped with a �25 million fine by German prosecutors concerning a greenwashing scandal stemming from protracted investigations in both the US and Germany. According to Frankfurt prosecutors, DWS, which is 80% owned by the German banking giant, deceived investors about its environmental credentials between 2020 and 2023. The firm engaged in �aggressive� marketing tactics, portraying itself as a frontrunner in sustainable investments despite being �still undergoing a transformation process,� as noted in a recent statement from the prosecutors in Frankfurt.