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Claim review. Fraud

Supported

The cited record supports the material proposition.

The US Department of Justice said on 13 December 2022 that Danske Bank pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and agreed to forfeit US$2.059 billion.

About
Danske Bank A/S
Claim made by
US Department of Justice, regulator statement
Published
13 December 2022
Original
Danske Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud on U.S. Banks in Multi-Billion Dollar Scheme to Access the U.S. Financial System
Evidence score
98 How it was scored
Last reviewed
25 October 2026

Why this label

The DOJ release states the guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and the US$2.059 billion forfeitureS1. The bank's own announcement confirms the plea and gives aggregate payments of US$2.06 billion to US and Danish authoritiesS5. The SEC separately announced a US$413 million settlement of fraud charges about misleading investorsS2. The SEC release says the bank offered to settle by consenting to a judgment, which is a settlement and not a court finding. The guilty plea is a criminal admission to the charged conspiracy. The plea concerns fraud on US banks, not a money laundering conviction.

Current procedural position

Guilty plea entered 13 December 2022S1. Three-year probation concluded 13 December 2025 according to the bankS6.

Record supporting the assessment

Today, Danske Bank pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
S1 Tier A US Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, Danske Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud on U.S. Banks in Multi-Billion Dollar Scheme to Access the U.S. Financial System, 13 December 2022
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the company has agreed to criminal forfeiture of $2.059 billion.
S1 Tier A US Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, Danske Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud on U.S. Banks in Multi-Billion Dollar Scheme to Access the U.S. Financial System, 13 December 2022
Danske Bank has pleaded guilty to a criminal charge from DoJ of conspiracy to commit bank fraud
S5 Tier B Danske Bank A/S, Danske Bank reaches coordinated resolutions with the US and Danish authorities regarding the Estonia matter, 13 December 2022

Conflicting or limiting record

No record located that conflicts with this assessment.

Evidence score: 98 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Danske Bank A/S. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

ComponentPointsMaxReason
Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition?3030DOJ is the prosecuting authority and states the plea.
DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts?2020The release states the plea and the amount in terms.
CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point?1415The bank's own announcement and the SEC release agree.
Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes?1415The plea is entered and the probation term has ended.
CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments?1010Checked against the bank's December 2025 announcement.
ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment?1010The passages are on public pages.
Total98100

Timeline

  1. Guilty plea and forfeiture announced by DOJS1
  2. SEC announces US$413 million settlementS2
  3. Bank announces coordinated US and Danish resolutionsS5

Related cases

  • United States v. Danske Bank A/SUS Department of Justice and US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Criminal. Not published.Stage: Guilty plea entered. Probation concluded on 13 December 2025 per the bank.
    • Guilty plea to conspiracy to commit bank fraud with US$2.059 billion forfeitureS1
    • Bank confirms probation concludedS6S7
  • SEC v. Danske Bank A/SUS Securities and Exchange Commission. Civil. Not published.Stage: Settled by consent to a final judgment
    • Bank agrees to pay US$413 million to settle SEC fraud chargesS2

Revision history

  • Assessment first published with label Supported.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

  1. S1Tier A Danske Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud on U.S. Banks in Multi-Billion Dollar Scheme to Access the U.S. Financial SystemUS Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. Regulator press release. 13 December 2022.Supports the guilty plea, the forfeiture amount and the US$160 billion processed through US banks. It does not give a laundered total.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  2. S5Tier B Danske Bank reaches coordinated resolutions with the US and Danish authorities regarding the Estonia matterDanske Bank A/S. Company statement. 13 December 2022.Supports the aggregate US$2.06 billion, the Danish fine and confiscation, and the close of the investigations as to the bank.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  3. S2Tier A SEC Charges Danske Bank with Fraud for Misleading Investors about Its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Failures in EstoniaUS Securities and Exchange Commission. Regulator press release. 13 December 2022.Supports the US$413 million SEC settlement. It is a settlement by consent and not a court finding.
  4. S6Tier B Danske Bank confirms conclusion of US Department of Justice probationDanske Bank A/S. Company statement. 15 December 2025.Supports the end of the US probation. It is a company statement, not a DOJ record.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  5. S7Tier C Danske Bank Completes U.S. Justice Department Probation PeriodDow Jones Newswires (Dominic Chopping), via Morningstar. Press report. 15 December 2025.Reports the end of the probation on the bank's announcement. It quotes no DOJ or court record.Link working, checked 25 October 2026

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