Syed Rahman

Syed advises corporates, senior executives, and high-net-worth individuals facing complex bribery and corruption investigations. He has extensive experience acting in Serious Fraud Office (SFO) matters, multi-jurisdictional investigations, and high-stakes regulatory proceedings, often involving significant financial exposure and cross-border enforcement issues.

• Secured the acquittal of a former senior executive of a seismic testing company, after the company itself had admitted wrongdoing, following an SFO investigation into alleged bribery of a South Korean public official to secure multi-million-pound contracts.
• Represented a global precious metals company in an SFO bribery and corruption investigation, including conducting multi-jurisdictional internal investigations across more than 40 companies worldwide and negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement.
• Defended a forex trader who lost £130 million of investors’ funds in a large-scale cross-border investigation involving jurisdictions including Turkey, Thailand, Australia, and the United States.

Syed advises directors, company officers, and businesses facing regulatory enforcement action, investigations, and disqualification proceedings. He provides strategic defence advice where allegations of misconduct, fraud, or governance failings may result in significant personal and commercial consequences.

• Defended a professional services firm and its CEO in High Court proceedings arising from an HMRC probe into a £12 million labour supply fraud and related directors’ disqualification proceedings.

Syed advises individuals and organisations subject to regulatory investigations and enforcement action by domestic and international authorities. His practice includes complex fraud, market conduct, and securities investigations, often involving parallel proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.

• Acted as UK defence counsel for Terraform Labs in US SEC enforcement proceedings arising from one of the largest alleged frauds in history, involving losses exceeding USD $40 billion.
• Led complex cross-border litigation, including the successful enforcement of a Hague Convention Letter of Request before the English High Court to secure key evidence for trial.
• Defended a London-based hedge fund trader being investigated by European authorities over alleged involvement in a £193 million Cum-Ex share trading scheme.
• Defended a chief executive and director in an FCA criminal investigation relating to alleged false or misleading statements and concealment of material facts concerning a large publicly listed company.

Syed advises corporates, financial institutions, and private clients on complex embezzlement, asset tracing, and asset recovery matters. He regularly coordinates multi-jurisdictional investigations and enforcement strategies to recover misappropriated assets across the world.

• Acting for an international digital asset company in one of the largest and most complex alleged stablecoin reserve frauds, involving the misappropriation of more than USD $456 million through offshore structures.
• Leading a multi-jurisdictional asset tracing and recovery strategy with parallel proceedings and enforcement action across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
• Represented a multinational corporate in a worldwide asset recovery investigation arising from its subsidiary being targeted in a phishing fraud.
• Represented an international private client in a global asset recovery investigation spanning South Africa, Europe, the UK, and North America.

Syed advises corporates, financial institutions, technology businesses, and private clients on complex fraud investigations, asset recovery, and cryptocurrency-related disputes. He has significant experience in landmark fraud cases involving digital assets, cross-border enforcement, and innovative legal remedies.

• Acting for a leading private bank in a politically sensitive, multi-jurisdictional asset tracing and recovery mandate arising from systemic kleptocracy and large-scale non-performing loan fraud in the Far East, involving losses in the hundreds of millions.
• Represented a UK company in an asset recovery investigation relating to wrongdoing in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Represented an artificial intelligence laboratory in the landmark case of Fetch.ai v Persons Unknown, securing a worldwide freezing order after losses of $2.6 million resulting from unauthorised access to cryptocurrency accounts.
• Represented a major US corporation in a transatlantic investigation into a sophisticated hack and theft of crypto assets, working closely with the FBI and the National Crime Agency.
• Represented a corporate entity in the landmark case of Ion Science v Persons Unknown, widely recognised as the first ICO fraud case before the Commercial Court and the first case to consider the location of Bitcoin for jurisdictional purposes.
• Obtained an injunction freezing cryptocurrency assets in connection with the Ion Science v Persons Unknown proceedings.
• Defended an international private client in the landmark case of AA v Persons Unknown, the first case in which the High Court recognised cryptocurrency as property.
• Defended a group of companies and its executives in civil recovery proceedings brought by the National Crime Agency under Part 5 of POCA following allegations of fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Syed advises businesses and individuals facing HMRC investigations, tax disputes, and related enforcement action. He supports clients through internal investigations, civil proceedings, and regulatory challenges involving significant alleged tax losses.

• Conducted an internal investigation for a well-established European confectionery company in relation to HMRC VAT investigations.
• Defended a UK company in High Court proceedings following an HMRC investigation into an alleged £40 million VAT fraud.

Syed advises corporates, executives, and high-net-worth individuals on money laundering investigations, civil recovery proceedings, and compliance matters. He has extensive experience handling cases involving POCA, account freezing orders, sanctions, and allegations of serious financial crime.

• Defended an executive in relation to 19 account freezing and forfeiture orders and a criminal investigation into an alleged £60 million money laundering operation.
• Represented an alleged director in an SFO investigation relating to fraud, money laundering, and the operation of pension schemes and SIPP investments involving £120 million.
• Represented a high-net-worth individual in civil recovery proceedings brought by the National Crime Agency under Part 5 of POCA following allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering, and mortgage fraud.
• Advised a multinational cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) art dealer on compliance with UK and US money laundering and sanctions laws.

Syed advises corporates, directors, and senior executives facing investigations and prosecutions by the Serious Fraud Office. He is experienced in defending complex financial crime allegations and managing large-scale internal investigations with significant reputational and commercial implications.

• Secured the acquittal of a former senior executive of a seismic testing company, after the company itself had admitted wrongdoing, following an SFO investigation into alleged bribery of a South Korean public official to secure multi-million-pound contracts.
• Represented a global precious metals company in an SFO bribery and corruption investigation, including conducting multi-jurisdictional internal investigations across more than 40 companies worldwide and negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement.

Syed advises corporates, financial institutions, energy traders, manufacturers, service providers, and private clients on UK, EU, and international sanctions regimes. He advises on sanctions compliance, licensing applications, regulatory engagement, corporate restructurings, and the impact of restrictive measures on cross-border business operations and transactions.

• Represented a sanctioned entity resisting an anti-suit injunction brought by a UK bank following a dispute relating to a US$160 million termination agreement before the Russian courts.
• Assisted a major raw materials industrial group in assessing the impact of UK and EU sanctions regimes on its business activities and preparing a licence application for the Department for International Trade.
• Represented a major raw materials manufacturing company in its interactions with UK and EU regulators concerning restrictive measures impacting its business activities.
• Assisted a leading global energy trader in assessing the impact of UK and EU sanctions regimes on its business activities.
• Advising a privately owned museum on UK sanctions compliance and export controls relating to valuable cultural artefacts.
• Advising an offshore corporate service provider on the impact of UK sanctions relating to Russia on its clients and business activities.
• Advised a corporate entity in the digital risk sector on the application of UK sanctions and the proposed restructuring of foreign UK subsidiaries.
• Represented a major conglomerate listed on the London Stock Exchange, advising on complex capital restructuring and sanctions compliance following the imposition of sanctions on Russia.
• Represented a large Russian-headquartered power engineering company on the impact of international sanctions and the performance of a contract valued at approximately US$787 million.
• Advised a major oil producer on sanctions risk and compliance with UK trade sanctions.
• Prepared an OFSI licence application for a public joint-stock company relating to a US$500 million corporate bond and coupon payments due under financing arrangements.
• Advised a Swiss-headquartered chemicals company on the application of the UK sanctions regime, including the restructuring of corporate subsidiaries.
• Represented a major timber industry conglomerate listed on the Moscow Stock Exchange and advised on compliance with the UK sanctions regime.

Syed advises corporations, financial institutions, investment firms, and private clients on high-value arbitration disputes across multiple jurisdictions. He has significant experience in LCIA proceedings, enforcement strategies, and anti-suit injunction disputes, often involving complex commercial arrangements, cross-border asset structures, and substantial claims.

• Represented a major Russian state development corporation and investment company in resisting an anti-suit injunction brought by a UK bank following a dispute relating to a US$160 million termination agreement before the Russian courts.
• Advised on anti-suit injunctions and the enforcement of a substantial arbitral award valued at approximately US$100 million against a multinational conglomerate.
• Acting for an alternative management firm incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) as claimant in LCIA arbitration proceedings involving alleged breaches of express and implied contractual terms arising from the acquisition of preferred shares in a Liberian-incorporated parent company.
• Acting for the claimant in LCIA proceedings spanning North America, the Marshall Islands, the BVI, and Europe concerning a multi-million-dollar loan agreement relating to liquefied petroleum gas and shipping management services.

Syed advises clients on complex international arbitration matters, including LCIA proceedings, cross-border enforcement, and jurisdictional disputes. He regularly acts in multi-jurisdictional matters involving significant commercial claims, international parties, and strategic applications before courts and arbitral tribunals.

• Represented a major Russian state development corporation and investment company in resisting an anti-suit injunction brought by a UK bank following a dispute relating to a US$160 million termination agreement before the Russian courts.
• Advised on anti-suit injunctions and the enforcement of a substantial arbitral award valued at approximately US$100 million against a multinational conglomerate.
• Acting for an alternative management firm incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) as claimant in LCIA arbitration proceedings involving alleged breaches of express and implied contractual terms arising from the acquisition of preferred shares in a Liberia-incorporated parent company.
• Acting for the claimant in LCIA proceedings spanning North America, the Marshall Islands, the BVI, and Europe concerning a multi-million-dollar loan agreement relating to liquefied petroleum gas and shipping management services.

Syed has significant experience in private international law, advising on cross-border evidence gathering, letters of request and international judicial assistance in complex commercial, regulatory and financial disputes. He regularly advises overseas parties on obtaining evidence in England for foreign proceedings, including applications under the Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975, and represents parties challenging or responding to such requests.

• Represented a defendant in US$40 billion proceedings brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission following the collapse of Terra and LUNA, involving an application to obtain evidence in England for use in US proceedings.
• Advised in US pharmaceutical patent litigation concerning a contested letter of request seeking evidence from an English third party, including addressing deficiencies in a request previously rejected by the Senior Master.
• Advised parties responding to letters of request issued by US courts, including challenges concerning relevance, confidentiality, the scope of document production, and oral examination.
• Advised on obtaining evidence from UK-based witnesses for overseas proceedings, including the preparation and enforcement of letters of request before the English courts.

Syed is recognised for his pioneering work in cryptocurrency fraud and digital asset litigation, having been involved in landmark cases establishing significant legal precedents. He advises financial institutions, cryptocurrency businesses, exchanges, and private clients on complex, multijurisdictional disputes involving digital assets, fraud, asset tracing, and recovery. His experience includes obtaining freezing and proprietary injunctions, disclosure orders against cryptocurrency exchanges, and developing cross-border enforcement strategies.

• AA v Persons Unknown: Involved in landmark proceedings establishing that Bitcoin constitutes property capable of protection through proprietary injunctions under English law.
• Ion Science Ltd v Persons Unknown: Involved in pioneering cryptocurrency fraud litigation addressing jurisdiction, applicable law, and disclosure remedies in cross-border asset recovery.
• LMN v Bitflyer Holdings Inc: Acted in significant proceedings concerning disclosure orders against cryptocurrency exchanges to identify fraudsters and trace misappropriated digital assets.
• Cryptocurrency enforcement: Involved in pioneering proceedings securing a third-party debt order involving cryptocurrency, advancing enforcement remedies available to judgment creditors.
• Terraform Labs: Represented a defendant in proceedings arising from the US$40 billion collapse of Terra/LUNA, including cross-border applications to obtain evidence for US litigation.

Syed advises cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset businesses, fintech companies, investors, and private clients on disputes, investigations, regulatory enforcement, fraud, asset recovery, and compliance matters.

• Acting as UK defence counsel for Terraform Labs in US SEC enforcement proceedings arising from one of the largest alleged frauds in history, involving losses exceeding US$40 billion, and leading complex cross-border litigation, including the successful enforcement of a Hague Convention Letter of Request before the English High Court.
• Acting for an international digital asset company in one of the largest and most complex alleged stablecoin reserve frauds, involving the alleged misappropriation of more than US$450 million through offshore structures and leading a multi-jurisdictional asset tracing and recovery strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
• Represented an artificial intelligence laboratory in the landmark case of Fetch.ai v Persons Unknown, securing a worldwide freezing order after the theft of US$2.6 million from cryptocurrency accounts.
• Represented a major US corporation in a transatlantic investigation into a sophisticated hack and theft of crypto assets, working closely with the FBI and the National Crime Agency’s cybercrime unit.
• Represented a corporate entity in the landmark case of Ion Science v Persons Unknown, widely recognised as the first ICO fraud case before the Commercial Court and the first case in which the English courts considered the location of Bitcoin for jurisdictional purposes.
• Obtained an injunction freezing cryptocurrency assets in connection with Ion Science v Persons Unknown.
• Defended an international private client in the landmark case of AA v Persons Unknown, the first case in which the High Court recognised cryptocurrency as property.
• Represented an English cryptocurrency exchange that was the victim of a sophisticated cyberattack, resulting in investigations across the Seychelles, Belarus, and Ukraine.
• Advised a multinational cryptocurrency and NFT art dealer on compliance with UK and US money laundering and sanctions laws.

Syed advises energy companies, commodities businesses, industrial groups, and state-owned enterprises on complex disputes, sanctions, investigations, and cross-border enforcement matters. His experience spans the oil and gas, power, raw materials, and shipping sectors, often involving significant international regulatory and commercial issues.

• Assisted a leading global energy trader in assessing the impact of UK and EU sanctions regimes on its business activities.
• Advised a major oil producer on the risks of breaching trade sanctions and compliance with UK sanctions law.
• Represented a large power engineering company headquartered in Russia, advising on international sanctions and the performance of a contract valued at approximately US$787 million.
• Assisted a major raw materials industrial group in assessing the impact of UK and EU sanctions regimes and preparing a licence application for the Department for International Trade.
• Represented a major raw materials manufacturing company in its interactions with UK and EU regulators concerning restrictive measures affecting its business activities.
• Represented a major timber industry conglomerate listed on the Moscow Stock Exchange, advising on compliance with the UK sanctions regime.
• Acting for the claimant in LCIA proceedings concerning a multi-million-dollar loan agreement relating to liquefied petroleum gas and shipping management services.

Syed advises banks, asset managers, hedge funds, fintech businesses, cryptocurrency exchanges and financial institutions on investigations, disputes, regulatory enforcement, fraud, and asset recovery matters. He regularly acts in complex, high-value matters involving financial crime, market conduct, sanctions, and regulatory compliance.

• Acted for a leading private bank in a politically sensitive, multi-jurisdictional asset tracing and recovery mandate arising from systemic kleptocracy and large-scale non-performing loan fraud in the Far East.
• Represented a partner at an asset management firm in a multi-jurisdictional Cum-Ex trading investigation led by UK, German, and Austrian authorities.
• Defended a London-based hedge fund trader being investigated over alleged involvement in a £193 million Cum-Ex share trading scheme.
• Represented an alleged director in an SFO investigation concerning the operation of pension schemes and SIPP investments involving £120 million.
• Defended a chief executive and director in an FCA criminal investigation relating to alleged false or misleading statements concerning a publicly listed company.
• Advised a global fintech company on regulatory matters and FCA compliance.
• Represented a major Russian state development corporation and investment company in arbitration proceedings arising from a US$160 million termination agreement.
• Represented a sanctioned entity in relation to a dispute concerning a US$160 million termination agreement.
• Advised a multinational cryptocurrency and NFT art dealer on compliance with UK and US money laundering and sanctions laws.
• Acted as UK defence counsel for Terraform Labs in US SEC enforcement proceedings involving alleged losses exceeding US$40 billion.
• Represented an English cryptocurrency exchange following a sophisticated cyberattack leading to investigations across multiple jurisdictions.
• Acted for an international digital asset company in an alleged US$450 million stablecoin reserve fraud and related asset recovery strategy.

Recognised by Chambers UK for Financial Crime 2022-2026

Recognised by Chambers UK for Sanctions 2023-2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for General Crime and Fraud 2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Fraud: White-Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) 2026

Member of the International Bar Association (IBA)

Member of the American Bar Association (ABA)

Member of the European Fraud and Compliance Lawyers Association

Member of the Fraud Lawyers Association

Speaker at Cambridge Forum on International Enforcement of Judgements and Awards (31 May 2026)

Speaker at IBA Asset Recovery Committee (ARC) International Webinar (6 May 2026)

Speaker at The Anti-Bribery & Corruption Forum 2026 (21 April 2026)

Speaker at Evolving Risks in ABC and Cybersecurity (10 February 2026)

Speaker at FIRE Middle East (9 November 2025)

Speaker at The TL4 Sanctions in Disputes Circle (18 September 2025)

Speaker at The FIRE Channel Islands & Isle of Man Asset Recovery Conference (17 June 2025)

Speaker at The American Bar Association’s 40th White Collar Crime Institute (4 March 2025)

Speaker at The 2nd Annual IBA Asset Recovery Conference (4 March 2025)

The International Comparative Legal Guide 2024 – Business Crime

CDR Essential Intelligence 2023 – Fraud, Asset Tracing and Recovery

The International Comparative Legal Guide 2020 and 2021 – Business Crime