Federal Judge Questions Validity of Crown, Regulator Settlement

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee is scrutinizing Crown Resorts' $450 million settlement with AUSTRAC, Australia's financial intelligence agency.
Lee suggests the fine may be too small and questions whether AUSTRAC was misled in negotiations.
Crown claims paying the full fine immediately would damage its finances, so it negotiated an interest-free installment plan.
The scandal highlights concerns regulators have become too close with companies they oversee.
There are calls for more oversight and review of how well regulators are policing companies.