Affair Caritas: LA Savings Visit Visit to L’Amiable

As part of the case of the diversion of 61 million euros at Caritas, the Spuerkeess has so far distinguished itself by its silence. The fact that the financial sector surveillance commission (CSSF) inflicted a fine of several million euros on public bank last May, because it had not filled the gaps in monitoring transactions, has aroused new criticism in recent days, since the fine was made public. Indeed, the CSSF grievances were not discussed during the commission of inquiry, a few days after the decision of the financial authority on May 2. Several deputies accused the SPUERKEESS of having deliberately lied during her hearing, saying that the bank had made no mistakes.

In an interview with the radio 100,7 Tuesday, Françoise Thoma, CEO and president of the bank executive committee, and the financial director Romain Wehles wanted to rectify this accusation. “We did not want to give the impression that everything was perfect with us,” said Mrs. Thoma. Instead, the employees would only have followed the procedures in force at the time and, in this sense, would have made any error. Neither the Caritas scandal nor the way in which it was managed later were beneficial for the image of the bank, admits the chairman of the board of directors: “We are very concerned about the reputation of the bank and we make every effort to restore it as quickly and as best as possible”.

In the interview, the bank’s management has also confirmed that the CSSF had already expressed its criticisms concerning the supervision of the bank much earlier. The control would have been completed in 2020 and several measures would have been implemented “relatively quickly”, said Radio 100,7. “One or two more important measures, however, have not yet been implemented before the new control, which ultimately led to the fine. According to Romain Wehles, new IT tools have been purchased to improve the situation, and new training courses have been given to staff and customers.

Could the Caritas affair have been avoided? “It is difficult to say:” If it had been implemented, it would not have happened, “says Françoise Thoma. The SPUERkeess hopes that she does not have to settle the question of responsibility and any reimbursements before the courts. According to the manager, the bank is working on an “acceptable compromise for all the parties concerned”. An amicable agreement with the Caritas would be “a possible possibility”. Preliminary discussions have already taken place. If it agrees, it will be communicated.

The Caritas Caritas association was robbed about 61 million euros in the space of several months. The case was revealed last summer. The money has passed through the accounts of the SPuerkeess and the BGL BNP Paribas abroad. The credit lines were increased in the two banks as part of the scam: at 10 million euros at the SPUERkeess and at 23 million euros at the BGL BNP Paribas. The prosecution supposes the existence of a professional money laundering network, by which the millions have largely disappeared via thousands of transfers and investments in cryptocurrencies. Two straw men, who had opened accounts in Spanish banks, were sentenced in July.