HSBC says it may face criminal charges

HSBC Holdings Plc said on Monday it will likely face criminal or civil charges from an investigation into its ties to allegedly illegal money transactions, including some tied to Iran. The disclosure in a regulatory filing shows the increasingly serious nature of inquiries into the London-based bank's business. HSBC is the subject of many US law-enforcement probes for ties to illegal money transactions. Monday's filing was the first time the bank disclosed that Iranian transactions are under scrutiny.