Christopher Sykes
Call
Call
2015
Expertise
POCA & Asset Recovery
Corporate Crime
Corporate Investigations
Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets
Regulatory & Disciplinary
Criminal Fraud
Christopher is recognised as a leading junior who offers expertise in confiscation and asset recovery. He also specialises in financial crime and regulatory proceedings with further experience of civil litigation.
He acts for individuals and corporates affected by financial wrongdoing. He specialises in criminal defence, confiscation, and civil recovery, including the recovery of assets for private clients. He has expertise contesting the restraint, freezing, detention, and forfeiture of cash, accounts, and cryptocurrency.
He acts for government agencies at all stages of civil recovery, criminal investigation, and confiscation proceedings. His cases are high-value and complex, often arising from wider criminal investigations or engaging complex legal issues.
He practises in regulatory and professional disciplinary matters. He has acted for registrants and regulators before tribunals in medical, financial, and other professional fields. His cases have engaged issues of money laundering, complex expert evidence, parallel criminal proceedings, and sexual misconduct.
Christopher offers combined knowledge of criminal and civil litigation. He has acted for claimants and defendants in civil cases involving allegations of fraud and breach of contract.
Other Language(s)
French - Conversational
Other Language(s)
French - Conversational
Christopher Sykes : Experience & Expertise
Christopher has acted on behalf of applicants and respondents in matters of civil recovery brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He has advised and been instructed in matters brought under the crypto provisions of the Act.
View Cases
Police v A/B
Acting for the Police, obtained account forfeiture of over £500,000 arising from allegations of the unregulated sale of edible cannabis products.
Rex v X
Acting for the Crown in confiscation proceedings arising from a £266m money laundering operation.
SFO v X
Advised the SFO in its application for an all-assets restraint order against an individual implicated in an international bribery investigation.
Police v K Ltd
Defended a corporate client facing account forfeiture proceedings for almost £400,000. Christopher negotiated the release of 90% of the frozen funds without the director needing to attend court.
Local Council v C Ltd
Defended a corporate client facing confiscation proceedings for almost £400,000 arising from breach of environmental and property regulations.
Police v AR and Others
Acting for the Police, secured forfeiture of £900,000 from money service businesses found to be laundering money for an organised criminal group.
Police v Arkwright
Acting for the Crown, negotiated a £1.5m confiscation order against two defendants (link).
Police v LM Ltd
Defending a corporate client facing account forfeiture proceedings arising from alleged regulatory misconduct.
Rex v K
Obtained the appointment of an enforcement receiver in contested proceedings concerning the disposal of over £5.5m of assets.
HMRC v X and Others
Junior counsel for the team acting for HMRC in restraint proceedings brought as part of an investigation of international fraud and bribery.
HMRC v F Ltd
Defended a corporate client from whom some £350,000 cash had been detained while in transit. Christopher negotiated the release of the entire cash without the director needing to attend court.
Police v X
Acting for the Police in combined cash and account forfeiture proceedings worth £400,000 against an individual suspected of laundering money for an organised criminal group.
Police v AB
Acting for the Police, obtained forfeiture of almost £20,000 terrorist property in a contentious case that engaged issues of PII and abuse of process.
Christopher frequently represents those accused of wrongdoing arising from financial crime and fraud. He is regularly instructed in legally and evidentially complex matters concerning fraud, financial services, and cheating the revenue. Christopher often appears in the Crown Court as defence counsel. He has appeared in the High Court and Court of Appeal on matters relating to financial crime.
View Cases
HMRC v X
Currently instructed to defend a professional being prosecuted for cheating the revenue as part of a scheme worth over £1.7m.
FCA v Barreto & Hussain
Junior counsel for the FCA in the prosecution of mortgage fraud and regulatory breaches under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FCA).
Andreewitch v Moutreuil
Successfully argued before the Court of Appeal that a finding of contempt was unjust since the lower court had disregarded the right to silence. The judgment established new protections for alleged contemnors.
NCA v X
Advised and acted for the NCA on matters of disclosure and PII from the earliest stages of a large-scale investigation into fraud committed by an organised criminal gang.
Eim/Stacha v Lewis
Mitigated on behalf of an accountant who had admitted contempt following breach of a freezing injunction arising from a default judgment of €4.4m.
View Cases
Internal investigation
Worked with a senior member of Chambers on a sensitive investigation of sexual misconduct within a corporation.
Bank of England
Seconded in an advisory role to decision-makers concerned with the regulatory investigation of former HBOS senior managers.
Grenfell Inquiry
Part of the team representing the interests of a corporation under investigation.
Christopher has substantial knowledge of crypto assets and is often instructed in recovery proceedings. He has been recently instructed on the application of the new civil recovery proceedings as they apply to crypto assets and crypto-related items. Christopher also successfully secured one of the first crypto wallet freezing orders brought under these provisions.
Christopher is also currently instructed to act for the Police in a forfeiture case concerning a six-figure sum of cryptocurrency.
View Cases
JM v Persons Unknown
Acting for an individual, made representations leading to the successful recovery of some £60,000 of cryptocurrency defrauded from a high-net worth individual.
Police v ML
Acting for the Police, secured one of the first crypto wallet freezing orders against the assets of a suspect based overseas.
Christopher specialises in professional discipline in the healthcare and financial sectors.
View Cases
ARB v X
Acted for an architect in contentious regulatory proceedings engaging issues of freedom of speech and privilege.
CLC v NM (2024)
Acted for the CLC in proceedings against a practitioner found to have facilitated the dissipation of £100,000 of client funds.
GDC v Ostovan (2024)
Presented the case against a dentist accused of sexual misconduct (BBC).
GDC v X
Acting for the GDC in complex proceedings against a dentist alleged to have endangered patients by the misuse of high-strength opioids.
GDC v X
Defended a dentist accused of sexual misconduct. The regulator lifted the interim suspension and proceedings were dropped.
NMC v X
Defending a nurse accused of deficient professional performance.
Christopher Sykes : Experience & Expertise
Christopher has acted on behalf of applicants and respondents in matters of civil recovery brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He has advised and been instructed in matters brought under the crypto provisions of the Act.
View Cases
Police v A/B
Acting for the Police, obtained account forfeiture of over £500,000 arising from allegations of the unregulated sale of edible cannabis products.
Police v LM Ltd
Defending a corporate client facing account forfeiture proceedings arising from alleged regulatory misconduct.
Rex v X
Acting for the Crown in confiscation proceedings arising from a £266m money laundering operation.
Rex v K
Obtained the appointment of an enforcement receiver in contested proceedings concerning the disposal of over £5.5m of assets.
SFO v X
Advised the SFO in its application for an all-assets restraint order against an individual implicated in an international bribery investigation.
HMRC v X and Others
Junior counsel for the team acting for HMRC in restraint proceedings brought as part of an investigation of international fraud and bribery.
Police v K Ltd
Defended a corporate client facing account forfeiture proceedings for almost £400,000. Christopher negotiated the release of 90% of the frozen funds without the director needing to attend court.
HMRC v F Ltd
Defended a corporate client from whom some £350,000 cash had been detained while in transit. Christopher negotiated the release of the entire cash without the director needing to attend court.
Local Council v C Ltd
Defended a corporate client facing confiscation proceedings for almost £400,000 arising from breach of environmental and property regulations.
Police v X
Acting for the Police in combined cash and account forfeiture proceedings worth £400,000 against an individual suspected of laundering money for an organised criminal group.
Police v AR and Others
Acting for the Police, secured forfeiture of £900,000 from money service businesses found to be laundering money for an organised criminal group.
Police v AB
Acting for the Police, obtained forfeiture of almost £20,000 terrorist property in a contentious case that engaged issues of PII and abuse of process.
Police v Arkwright
Acting for the Crown, negotiated a £1.5m confiscation order against two defendants (link).
Christopher frequently represents those accused of wrongdoing arising from financial crime and fraud. He is regularly instructed in legally and evidentially complex matters concerning fraud, financial services, and cheating the revenue. Christopher often appears in the Crown Court as defence counsel. He has appeared in the High Court and Court of Appeal on matters relating to financial crime.
View Cases
HMRC v X
Currently instructed to defend a professional being prosecuted for cheating the revenue as part of a scheme worth over £1.7m.
NCA v X
Advised and acted for the NCA on matters of disclosure and PII from the earliest stages of a large-scale investigation into fraud committed by an organised criminal gang.
FCA v Barreto & Hussain
Junior counsel for the FCA in the prosecution of mortgage fraud and regulatory breaches under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FCA).
Eim/Stacha v Lewis
Mitigated on behalf of an accountant who had admitted contempt following breach of a freezing injunction arising from a default judgment of €4.4m.
Andreewitch v Moutreuil
Successfully argued before the Court of Appeal that a finding of contempt was unjust since the lower court had disregarded the right to silence. The judgment established new protections for alleged contemnors.
View Cases
Internal investigation
Worked with a senior member of Chambers on a sensitive investigation of sexual misconduct within a corporation.
Grenfell Inquiry
Part of the team representing the interests of a corporation under investigation.
Bank of England
Seconded in an advisory role to decision-makers concerned with the regulatory investigation of former HBOS senior managers.
Christopher has substantial knowledge of crypto assets and is often instructed in recovery proceedings. He has been recently instructed on the application of the new civil recovery proceedings as they apply to crypto assets and crypto-related items. Christopher also successfully secured one of the first crypto wallet freezing orders brought under these provisions.
Christopher is also currently instructed to act for the Police in a forfeiture case concerning a six-figure sum of cryptocurrency.
View Cases
JM v Persons Unknown
Acting for an individual, made representations leading to the successful recovery of some £60,000 of cryptocurrency defrauded from a high-net worth individual.
Police v ML
Acting for the Police, secured one of the first crypto wallet freezing orders against the assets of a suspect based overseas.
Christopher specialises in professional discipline in the healthcare and financial sectors.
View Cases
ARB v X
Acted for an architect in contentious regulatory proceedings engaging issues of freedom of speech and privilege.
GDC v X
Acting for the GDC in complex proceedings against a dentist alleged to have endangered patients by the misuse of high-strength opioids.
CLC v NM (2024)
Acted for the CLC in proceedings against a practitioner found to have facilitated the dissipation of £100,000 of client funds.
GDC v X
Defended a dentist accused of sexual misconduct. The regulator lifted the interim suspension and proceedings were dropped.
GDC v Ostovan (2024)
Presented the case against a dentist accused of sexual misconduct (BBC).
NMC v X
Defending a nurse accused of deficient professional performance.
News from this Barrister
News from this Barrister
News from this Barrister
Christopher Sykes secures release of funds in six-figure AFO appeal
POCA & Asset Recovery
Christopher Sykes successful in forfeiture case
POCA & Asset Recovery
Christopher Sykes resisted £400k Account Forfeiture Orders
POCA & Asset Recovery
Articles from This Barrister
Articles from This Barrister
Delayed confiscation and the right to a fair hearing (Neophytou v UK)
Delayed confiscation and the right to a fair hearing (Neophytou v UK)
Is crypto property? A simple question with a complex answer.
Is crypto property? A simple question with a complex answer.
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address