Danes investigate bank's money laundering out of Estonia

Denmark's top prosecution authority says it has opened a criminal investigation into the country's largest bank for "possible violation in connection with money laundering."

Morten Niels Jakobsen, the prosecutor for Serious Economic and International Crime, says the probe would establish whether Danske Bank can be prosecuted before courts of law.

Jakobsen said Monday they are "in dialogue with a series of international partners" and have already gathered "a considerable amount of investigation material." None were identified.

In May, Danish regulators said there had been "serious shortcomings" in the anti-money laundering operations of Danske Bank' activities in Estonia, following reports this year of money flows from family members of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Danske Bank was reprimanded and given eight orders that it must fulfill by June 30.