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Bankers now face compliance crackdown over Covid rule breaches

‘We’ve seen a lot of work relating to Covid breaches — people getting arrested for breaking Covid rules, people getting fined,’ says one financial lawyer

Lawyers warn senior staff could fall foul of compliance if they don't stick to the rules
Lawyers warn senior staff could fall foul of compliance if they don't stick to the rules Photo: Jason Alden/Getty Images

Compliance rules have always been a headache for City workers. During the pandemic, they are becoming a nightmare.

Texts about market-sensitive information? Obviously illegal. Unrecorded client Zoom meetings? A clear no-no. But over the past year, the list of questionable behaviour has swelled to include government Covid restrictions, including gatherings of more than six, or fudging quarantine rules to go out to buy a pint of milk.

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