LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said it had fined Santander (SAN.MC) 107.7 million pounds ($132 million) for "serious and persistent" gaps in the Spanish bank's anti-money laundering controls for more than 560,000 business customers.
The FCA said on Friday that between Dec. 31 2012 and Oct. 18 2017, Santander's UK arm failed to properly oversee and manage its anti-money laundering systems.
Santander UK said it accepted the FCA's civil regulatory findings in relation to anti-money laundering controls in its business banking division.
The FCA has stepped up action against failings in bank money laundering controls in recent years.
The FCA has also fined Standard Chartered and HSBC in the last three years for anti-money laundering breaches.