ASIC secures record $350 million in civil penalties and $583 million back to Australians – 25 March 2026
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) reported a record enforcement period for the second half of 2025 (July–December), securing $349.8 million in court-ordered civil penalties and helping return $583 million to Australians through refunds, remediation and investor payments.
Courtenay House scam victims demand ASIC compensation payout – 25 March 2026
Victims of the $180 million Courtenay House Ponzi scheme are demanding compensation from ASIC, alleging the regulator failed to act on warnings between 2012 and 2017. The scheme defrauded 585 investors, and victims argue that earlier intervention by ASIC could have prevented significant losses.
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Mecca companies pay $594,000 in infringement notices for failing to lodge financial reports on time – 31 March 2026
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced that three companies within the Mecca group have paid a combined $594,000 in infringement notices for allegedly failing to lodge audited financial reports on time. ASIC is increasing pressure on large private companies to improve transparency and meet financial reporting deadlines, with Mecca becoming one of the latest high-profile examples
KPMG heads warned over whistleblower claims – 11 April 2026
An investigation by The Saturday Paper reports that senior executives at KPMG have been formally warned by a federal parliamentary committee over their handling of serious whistleblower allegations, with claims now set to be examined further. The former employee reportedly accused KPMG of misconduct during major audit tenders involving clients such as Telstra, Macquarie Group and Dexus. Claims included:
• Receiving confidential “inside” intelligence during competitive tenders
• Accessing restricted client documents during an audit bid
• Potential independence conflicts while pursuing external audit work
• Retaliation after concerns were raised internally.
SMSF scandal: 660 investors discover shocking losses – 13 April 2026
Hundreds of Australians reportedly lost over $160m after switching retirement savings into schemes linked to Australian Fiduciaries. Around 660 Australians are believed to have been affected, with total losses estimated at $160 million to over $200 million. ASIC is investigating AFL and associated entities for potential misconduct, misleading conduct, and failures in financial services obligations. There are also questions about regulatory gaps in SMSF promotion, lead generation practices, and financial advice oversight.
ASIC investigating “complex web of private companies” in Sanjeev Gupta empire – 14 April 2026
The ABC reports that Australia’s corporate regulator, ASIC, has launched multiple active investigations into individuals within Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance empire following the collapse or severe financial distress of several linked companies in Australia. The scrutiny follows the collapse or administration of multiple Australian operations, including assets linked to the Whyalla steelworks, Tahmoor coal, and Bell Bay operations. The ABC notes ASIC’s actions come after years of financial warnings, missed reporting obligations, and ongoing restructuring across the group.
Decade-long ban for adviser central to ASIC’s Shield / First Guardian investigation – 14 April 2026
The article reports that ASIC has imposed a 10-year banning order on a financial adviser central to the Shield and First Guardian collapse investigation, marking one of the most significant enforcement actions linked to the scandal. The adviser, Rhys James Rolls Reilly, was banned for a decade due to serious misconduct in advising clients to invest in the First Guardian Master Fund. ASIC found he failed to properly assess the suitability of the fund for clients before recommending it. He allegedly received $100,000 in undisclosed conflicted payments while advising clients to switch into First Guardian. In Statements of Advice, he made false or misleading declarations, including claiming no conflicted remuneration had been received.
Asia’s scam centre problem is moving on, not shutting down – 16 April 2026
The Lowy Institute Interpreter article explains that Southeast Asia’s “scam centre” industry is not disappearing — it is evolving and relocating, making it a persistent and increasingly hard-to-control transnational crime problem. Criminal networks running online fraud operations (especially investment, romance, and crypto scams) are continuing to operate across Southeast Asia despite police crackdowns. When authorities disrupt centres in one country (such as Myanmar, Cambodia, or Laos), operations often move across borders or into more remote, weakly governed areas rather than being dismantled.
NSW DPP lawyer charged over alleged relationships with inmates – 15 April 2026
New South Wales lawyer has been charged over allegations involving inappropriate sexual relationships with prison inmates, alongside claims of serious professional misconduct within the justice system. Authorities allege the conduct involved breaches of public office duties and misuse of sensitive court or police data.
Aussie finance giant Latitude Finance Australia hit with $3.96m fine after 2.7m anti-spam law breaches – 16 April 2026
Latitude Finance Australia has been fined $3.96 million by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after breaching Australia’s spam laws more than 2.7 million times. Between March 2024 and April 2025, Latitude sent 2.3 million+ marketing messages without proper contact details. 344,416 messages also had unsubscribe options that did not work. Regulators are sending a clear message that repeat misconduct in customer communications will attract heavier penalties and closer scrutiny.
