The SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations ("OCIE") highlighted exam priorities for 2019. The priorities focus on areas that represent increased risks to retail investors and the integrity of the U.S. capital markets. The OCIE will focus on five key areas: (i) issues of significance to retail investors (including seniors), (ii) compliance and risk as to registrants responsible for market infrastructure, (iii) digital assets, (iv) cybersecurity, and (v) anti-money laundering ("AML"). Retail Investors. Examinations will concentrate on: (i) disclosures of costs of investing, (ii)

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In a newly published "National Illicit Finance Strategy," the U.S. Treasury Department reviewed current enforcement efforts to combat terrorist financing, proliferation financing and money laundering.

New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo resigned and will leave the agency on February 1, 2019.

A Missouri-based industrial equipment and services company agreed to settle U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") charges for violating Belarus Sanctions Regulations. According to OFAC, Zoltek Companies, Inc. ("Zoltek") submitted a voluntary self-disclosure, after which OFAC initiated an investigation into Zoltek's activities. OFAC's review of Zoltek's submissions identified apparent violations of the Belarus Sanctions Regulations, including dealing in the property of a "blocked person identified on OFAC's List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons