This. A result of the proverbial revolving door between regulators and the banks. You can have regulations up the wazoo and it won't make a spec of difference if they are not properly enforced. Even with the odd criminal conviction bank regulation is kabuki theatre for mass consumption. These guys get away with murder - literally. EDIT: yes, literally the murder of thousands in Mexico. HSBC bank & Sinaloa cartel. HSBC in particular has a long history of enabling drug cartels. The Opium Wars.