[ by Melanie Gretchen ]

Barclays seems to be weathering the financial climate just fine.  In the aftermath of the financial crisis, come dwindling profit and legal firestorm, top executives continue to cash in on bonuses.  Lucky them.

Here's a breakdown of the top winners:

• Rich Ricci: the investment banking head received a cool $26 million of deferred shares as part of his bonus from 2009 to 2011
• Chris Lucas: the finance chief was awarded stock, £1.2 million ($1.8 million)
• Antony Jenkins: at the top of the corporate ladder, the CEO got stock worth £5.6 million ($8.5 million)

The bank could very well clawback those bonuses, which – it should be noted – were awarded before 2012.  Before Barclays agreed to pay $453 million to settle allegations it manipulation Libor, the British bank last year drew scrutiny for having awarded then-CEO Robert Diamond Jr. $10 million in 2011 amid falling profits.  Mr. Ricci himself has been related to the rate-manipulation inquiry, while Mr. Lucas is 1 of 4 current and former Barclays executives who have been involved by a separate investigation into the bank’s capital-raising efforts during the financial crisis.

For his part, CEO Jenkins opted to forgo his bonus for last year following the recent missteps.  Nevertheless, 428 staff members earning more than $1.5 million each in 2012 isn't the stuff to assuage critics.  Perhaps the bank's overhaul of pay practices should be overhauled.

For further details, go to [Dealbook, 3/20/13].

To contact Melanie Gretchen: melanie@compliance-insights.com.