The major "Barclays scandal" primarily refers to the widespread 2012 LIBOR manipulation investigation, where international regulatory authorities discovered that traders at Barclays and several other global banks colluded to rig benchmark interest rates for financial gain. This high-profile controversy resulted in massive regulatory fines, severe reputational damage, the resignation of top executive leadership, and extensive legal scrutiny regarding corporate governance, ethical compliance, and integrity within major international financial institutions.