The Financial Conduct Authority said brothers Peter and Andrew Currie each face two fraud charges and one proceeds of crime charges, and are due to appear before a court in London on Jan. 26. The Curries could not immediately be reached for comment.

"The FCA alleges that the Curries, who are brothers, dishonestly represented to investors that Collateral was authorised and regulated by the FCA to operate as a peer-to-peer lender knowing this was untrue," the FCA said in a statement.

(Reporting by Huw Jones, Editing by Louise Heavens)