We regularly act on behalf of corporate clients and individuals on matters of financial wrongdoing, fraud, bribery or corruption. We act in the largest and most high-profile cases throughout investigation and prosecution.

As well as representing companies and individuals, we are also instructed by the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Conduct Authority and other agencies in complex corporate matters. Members have acted in some of the largest HMRC, FCA, and SFO investigations and trials to date, including the first LIBOR and EURIBOR trials, and investigations into Glencore, Unaoil, Petrofac, ENRC, Rolls-Royce, London Capital & Finance, Barclays, and Tesco, among others.

Our work frequently carries an international dimension. Members acted in Innospec, in which criminal proceedings for corruption in Indonesia were conducted simultaneously in UK and US courts, and in the Turks and Caicos Islands prosecution of Missick and others following the Commission of Inquiry. Our members have appeared in courts across the US, Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and offshore jurisdictions.

We undertake a significant amount of work acting for companies and individuals in Account Freezing Order (AFO) and Civil Recovery cases.

Our advisory and advocacy work is not limited to corporate investigations. We also provide numerous advices in relation to corporations requiring POCA Money Laundering advice in respect to potential criminal property within commercial investments.

Representative cases

Close cases

Representing public official from an African nation, accused of corruptly obtaining vast government contracts in favour of a relative’s company

Instructed for intervenor, Spotlight on Corruption, for appeal against WUC v SSHD [2023] 1 WLR 1950 – Chinese prison oppression of Uyghur people

Defence of an engineering company charged with corruption concerning the procurement of engineering contracts with Coca Cola

Defending corporates in AFO proceedings

R v Bohart (EURIBOR)

Successful defence of the former Barclays cash trader

Representing a company director in prosecution for fraud in relation to the sale of construction material and applications for government grants

Defending tip operator charged with environmental offences leading to fines costing £4m

Lead defendant in the largest HMRC Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) fraud prosecuted by SEOCID

Leading counsel in the restraint proceedings arising from a criminal prosecution into alleged VAT fraud, cheating the public revenue, fraud by false representation and money laundering

Defending in SFO prosecution re allegedly conspired to misstate and inflate Patisserie Holdings PLC’s cash and fixed asset position, concealing a £94m black hole

Numerous ongoing advisory instructions in relation to corporations requiring POCA Money Laundering advice in respect to potential criminal property within commercial investments

Leading Counsel in the investigation and continuing prosecution (and civil recovery) of individuals (attorneys and former cabinet ministers) on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering further to a Commission of Inquiry into a number of property developments in the Turks & Caicos Islands

Advising an NGO on the potential of a private prosecution for bribery or corruption of a global company

Acting for 2 companies defrauded of £3m to bring fraudster to court and recover its loss in confiscation proceedings

FCA v JD

FCA civil and criminal investigation into fraud and money laundering, valued at £81.4m.

Successfully prosecuting a FTSE 250 company in relation to regulatory breaches.

R v S

Defending a businessman, charged alongside ten co-defendants, with being knowingly involved in a conspiracy to evade excise duty on diesel fuel on a large national scale. The case collapsed due to disclosure failings.

R v S

Represented a Solicitor arrested as part of an international money laundering ring who made in excess of 113 million pounds, conducting one of Britain’s largest cyber scams cold-calling bank customers.

R v LC & Ors (2021)

13 handed multi-million pound MTIC fraud.

Instructed to represent company director in SFO prosecution concerning the operation of the SANGCOM project for the provision of telecommunication equipment and related services to the Saudi Arabian National Guard

Defending allegation of perversion of the course of justice by the creation of false documents for the purpose of fabricating a defence to separate criminal proceedings brought against the company

Prosecution by FCA of the former CEO and the former CFO of Globo PLC, a mobile technology company listed on the AIM, for market abuse

Representing an offshore DPP in civil recovery proceedings and separate production order proceedings against a bitcoin exchange

R v Tom Hayes (LIBOR)

Defending in the first SFO prosecution for offences related to “rigging” LIBOR

Representing a multinational company and two directors in an MOD Police pre-charge global investigation into procurement fraud and corruption investigations, involving high value military procurement contracts

Defending in prosecution re Unregulated equity release scheme

Defending IFA charged with alleged pension scheme tax fraud

Tianjin Lantian Gerui Investment Company investment fraud and civil recovery – barristers acting for multiple parties: DPP, several groups of victims, the Management Receiver holding the bitcoin and litigation funders

Defence of a large global city firm in a foreign money laundering prosecution arising from the firm’s role in acting in a corporate control dispute between parties asserting ownership of a series of companies

Representing senior executive of chemical manufacturing company in prosecution for corruption of public officials in Indonesia

Leading the defence for two principal directors of the foreign currency exchange brokerage in £1 billion money laundering investigation

Criminal and civil fraud case with claims exceeding £25m, linked to bribery by waste companies

Successfully defending a director of a major retail bank facing an internal investigation into fraud allegations and following extensive investigations by the police and the bank. The case was NFA’d after detailed representations were made as to why there should be no charges.

Fallon.

Successful prosecution, on behalf of the SFO, of a nationwide solar panel fraud. Consequential confiscation proceedings.

R v K

Defending an employee of Royal Mail Revenue Protection Department who was alleged to have assisted a Company to defraud the Royal Mail of approximately £33 million pounds of revenue fraud and of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Not guilty verdicts entered.

R v Z

Cybercrime investigation into corruption across the banking industry. Represented a Banker alleged to have opened 144 fraudulent accounts enabling in excess of three million pounds to be laundered, as well as passing on sensitive details to those committing the Cyber Fraud (£113 million) in operation Kadenza.

R v DF & Ors (2024)

Representing a former Compliance Officer at a company accused of fraudulently marketing and selling a product designed to divest individuals of unwanted timeshares

Advised a company on challenging HMRC’s decision to cancel its registration under the UK anti-money laundering regime, in a matter involving allegations of CJRS (furlough) fraud and PAYE irregularities.