The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has imposed recordkeeping fines totaling over $63 million on twelve firms, including affiliates of Blackstone Inc., KKR, Apollo Global Management, and Charles Schwab Corp. These fines stem from violations related to the failure to maintain and preserve electronic communications as required by federal securities laws. The SEC's announcement emphasized that nine investment advisers and three broker-dealers were charged for not adequately tracking employees' use of unauthorized communication platforms. This crackdown highlights ongoing regulatory scrutiny in the financial sector regarding compliance with recordkeeping provisions.