Howard Sharp

High profile ongoing litigation in Jersey Channel Islands that to date has featured; sanctions; claims of conspiracy to injury by unlawful means and misfeasance in public office brought by Mr Abramovich with the permission of the Royal Court of Jersey against the Chief Minister of Jersey and other senior Government of Jersey Ministers; Subject access claims litigation under Data Protection legislation; breach of contract; the judicial review of decisions of the Attorney General of Jersey to conduct investigations based on extremely historic theories; challenge to a restraint order obtained over trust and corporate held assets worth US$7 billion.

Jersey litigation relating to a company used to manage high value yachts held by persons designated under Russian sanctions.

Advising on UK sanctions sale of real property through BVI companies and effect of designation of seller by UK government during the course of the transactions.

Advising on UK sanctions on corporate structure holding family assets: ownership and control issues.

Advising on the sale of Chelsea Football Club and Truphone.

International litigation relating to trust structure that owned a high value yacht that had purportedly been confiscated by an overseas government because the ultimate beneficial owner was said to be a designated person.

Advising on UK sanctions in respect of using metals as collateral/security for financial instruments.

Instructed in respect of a high value fraud dispute involving a shareholder dispute with a Jersey trust company

Instructed in breach of commercial contract/unjust enrichment advice in context of allegations of bribery.

Claims relating to investment fraud committed by a person impersonating a member of a Royal family in the Middle East.

Litigation involving issues of capacity, allegations of forgery and the tracing of assets that were alleged to have been concealed by one family member from the other members of the family who stood to inherit.

Successfully recovery of funds pursuant to tort of deceit claim.

Trico Limited v Tony Buckingham – commercial contract dispute over payments relating to the sale of Heritage Oil including allegations of a forged signature.

Expert witness in UK arbitration providing reports on Jersey law of fraud in the context of allegations of banking fraud.

Howard prosecuted Curtis Warren in Jersey and following conviction obtained a confiscation order in the sum of £198 million, reflecting the benefit obtained by Mr Warren from the worldwide drug trafficking of wholesale amounts of cocaine from South America into Europe.

Howard has also acted in the ongoing Jersey extradition request seeking the extradition of those same public officials, including a former Kenyan Energy Minister, in respect of related money laundering investigations.

Howard led the successful prosecution of Windward Trading Limited in Jersey and resulting confiscation orders. Windward was used by Kenyan public officials to launder the proceeds of corrupt payments received from European companies seeking favourable treatment in tender processes in Kenya linked to the Energy Sector.

Howard has represented trustees when the Jersey situated trust assets were the subject of a freezing order with a view to criminal confiscation in respect of criminal conduct – commercial scale wildlife offences that occurred in South Africa.

Prosecution of Windward Trading Ltd, a jersey registered company, used by the former Energy Minister of Kenya and a senior public official in the Electricity Sector to receive millions in bribes from European energy companies seeking to win tenders for work in Kenya.

Prosecution of Curtis Warren and obtaining of £198 million confiscation order relating to his worldwide drugs trade including but not limited to the regular importation of multi tonne consignments of cocaine from the cartels in South America.

Attorney General v Peter Michel: 2001-2010: investigation and prosecution of Jersey based accountant who provided clients with complex trust and corporate structures that concealed the true beneficial ownership and origins of funds. Shell companies used to invoice UK based companies for work that was never done and the payments received in settlement of the invoices was returned to the clients by the hand delivery to them of cash. £6 million confiscation order including the confiscation of assets said to be held by a trust for the benefit of a third party but the trust was in fact a sham.

Prosecution of the private school boys for perverting the course of justice

Related extradition request to Kenya of the former Minister and senior public official with attendance at some of the extradition hearings in Africa.

Conduct of investigation in respect of Jersey’s then Magistrate and certain financial advisers who mis-sold investments in respect of the Florida property market.

Review of all Suspicious Activity Report received by a jurisdiction in the Channel Islands over a 4 year period in order to identify if there had been missed opportunities to confiscate the proceeds of crime and/or bring money laundering prosecutions.