U.S. Justice Department ends oversight of Danske Bank after money‑laundering case
The U.S. Department of Justice lifted supervision of Danske Bank after the completion of a three-year probationary period under a guilty-plea agreement for money laundering through its Estonian branch; the bank paid $2 billion.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
December 15, 2025 · 1 min read
The U.S. Department of Justice has lifted oversight of Danske Bank after the completion of a three-year probationary period related to a money‑laundering investigation.
Decision by the U.S. Department of Justice
In 2022 the bank pleaded guilty and agreed to a $2 billion fine as part of a deal to close the criminal case. The agreement included a three‑year probationary period, which officially ended on December 13, 2025.
Now all formal processes with regulators regarding this matter are concluded.
– Karsten Egeris, CEO of Danske Bank
CEO Karsten Egeris said the scandal was historic for the bank and has significantly affected its organization and corporate culture.
The bank will do everything it can to ensure such practices have no place in the bank 'neither today nor in the future'.
– Karsten Egeris, CEO of Danske Bank
Case background
According to the investigation, between 2008 and 2017 billions of dollars of suspicious funds, mostly from Russia, passed through Danske Bank’s Estonian branch via U.S. financial channels.
- In 2018 information emerged that about €8.5 billion had been moved out of Russia, which caused a wide public outcry.
- In 2019 the bank’s Estonian branch was closed.
- On September 26, 2019 the former head of the Estonian unit committed suicide.
