Wells Fargo & Co. confirmed Thursday it has named banking veteran Douglas Edwards as acting general counsel of its embattled legal department while it continues to search for a permanent legal chief who will be acceptable to federal regulators.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has overseen a two-year purge of Wells Fargo executives and directors in an effort to change the bank’s values and compliance culture. Numerous scandals have cost the bank more than $4 billion in penalties.