Martin Evans KC instructed in £15 million High Court property freezing proceedings

Martin Evans KC has been instructed on behalf of the National Crime Agency (NCA) in High Court proceedings concerning a £15 million luxury London property.

The NCA secured a freezing order over an apartment near Regent's Park following an investigation into the property's ownership and the source of funds used to acquire it.

The proceedings concern Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, who was previously made subject to an unexplained wealth order requiring him to demonstrate that the property had been purchased using legitimate funds.

The High Court heard allegations concerning complex ownership arrangements and the transfer of the company holding the property for a nominal sum of £1.

Mrs Justice Karen Steyn found that there was a good arguable case that the property represented the proceeds of crime and granted the freezing order, preventing its sale or transfer. The order does not constitute a final determination of unlawful conduct, which Mr Chowdhury denies.

The case highlights the important role of unexplained wealth orders, property freezing orders and civil recovery proceedings in investigating suspected financial wrongdoing and complex asset ownership structures.

Martin is a leading specialist in asset recovery, money laundering and confiscation, with a practice spanning both criminal and civil jurisdictions. He regularly appears in the Crown Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, acting in complex proceedings involving financial crime, fraud, corruption and the recovery of assets, including cryptoassets.

Martin has a particularly strong appellate practice and has appeared in landmark Supreme Court cases, including CPS v Aquila Advisory Ltd and Andrewes. Recognised as a leading silk by Chambers and Partners and in The Legal 500 for proceeds of crime work, Martin is widely regarded as one of the leading practitioners in criminal fraud and asset recovery.

Alongside his practice, Martin has been a contributing editor of Archbold since 2006, with responsibility for the chapters on confiscation and money laundering offences. He is also co-author of Corporate Criminal Liability and regularly lectures internationally on asset recovery and related matters.

Read the full Financial Times article: National Crime Agency wins freezing order over £15mn London flat