To be hauled up for rigging the LIBOR, but they certainly won't be the last as this article on the $1.5bn fine levied on UBS shows...
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/1 ... 0L20121219
When all is said and done, Barclays may come out of this sounding quite reasonable. After all they were approached by the BOE and asked to stop being at the low end. I.e. the BOE interfered in the LIBOR rate to benefit UK banks and institutions.
In fact just about everyone was at it. I'm pretty sure that US banks will eventually "find" someone who was at it. After they've done the whole "holier than thou" to the rest of the world that is.....
I was absolutely clear about this when it all broke. If I'm in a bank which is setting rates and choose to be "optimistic" about the rates, that is both legal and within my rights. If, however, as the UBS traders did, I try to purchase "optimistic" rates from rate setting banks, that is illegal.......
What is needed now are rules. No more "gentleman's agreements". There aren't any "gentlemen" left in the Banks, just "Businessmen"....