MOSCOW, December 20 (RAPSI) – The Russian Central Bank proposed the introduction of criminal liability for those playing an active role in spreading allegations that compromise financial institutions, PRIME business news agency reported Friday.

Alexey Simanovsky, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Central Bank, raised the issue in a speech addressing lawmakers in the upper house of parliament.

Almost 30 Russian banks have lost their licenses this year as the regulator seeks to tighten oversight of the country’s lenders and rein in shadowy banking activity. In November the Central Bank revoked the license of major Moscow-based Master Bank, causing widespread problems with payment transactions across the country. The regulator said that Master Bank had been involved in money laundering and “large-scale suspicious operations.”

As a result a number of regional Russian banks complained of fraudulent counteractions, such as provocative text message notifications of third parties addressing their clients. According to Simanovsky, the regulator’s clean-up drive led to “subversive activities against those banks which have no problems at all and operate duly.” Under these circumstances the Central Bank needs to amend its information policies in order to prevent social turmoil, Simanovsky said.

He added that criminal circles caught up in the clean-up, as well as debtors, might be inspired to spread such compromising information.