Fraud lawyers and fraud investigation lawyers at Keystone Law

Even diligent individuals and companies can find themselves in trouble with the authorities. When this occurs they need exceptional advice from an experienced fraud or financial crime specialist. If you have received a notice that you or your company are under investigation, getting legal advice quickly can help you to reach the best possible outcome.

Our fraud and financial crime services

Our team represent clients on a range issues including commercial fraud and financial crime disputes involving bribery, corruption, money laundering, and disciplinary and regulatory issues. We have experience working on multi-jurisdictional and cross-border cases, often of a high-profile nature. During a stressful and concerning time, our team of lawyers will provide you with straightforward, sensible and seasoned advice.

Who do we advise?

A range of individuals, banks and businesses turn to our fraud solicitors and financial crime specialists. Our experts are highly experienced in working with company directors, shareholders, high-net-worth individuals, accountants and investors.

Why choose our fraud and financial crime team?

Whatever the nature of the dispute or issue, Keystone’s fraud lawyers are experienced across the entire spectrum of commercial fraud and financial crime. From prevention to resolution, we have an exceptional track record of working with businesses, banks and individuals – particularly company directors. Members of our team are very well respected in this area and rank in leading legal directory The Legal 500.

For further information or to discuss a fraud or financial crime matter, please telephone 020 3319 3700 or click here to email us.

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Bribery & corruption

The introduction of the Bribery Act 2010 has seen an increased number of businesses and individuals investigated and sometimes prosecuted in relation to issues of bribery and corruption. We work closely with organisations to ensure that they do not fall foul to an investigation by helping to implement adequate procedures in to their businesses. Our team of experts are also highly experienced in successfully advising clients, both businesses and individuals, who have been the subject of such investigations.

Directors’ disqualification

Directors are subject to legally binding duties and can become the subject of an investigation and subsequent disqualification for a number of years if found guilty of falling foul of these, or following the insolvency of the company for which they are a Director. We understand the pressure on Directors and often advise them during an investigation in order to avoid any disqualification proceedings. We are also available to advise once proceedings are underway in order to prevent or minimise any period of disqualification.

Disciplinary and regulatory enforcement and investigations

Undergoing any disciplinary procedure is a stressful time for any individual and particularly for individuals working in heavily regulated sectors including financial and professional services. We have vast experience in acting for and guiding these individuals through the difficult process of being subject of an investigation by a regulatory body such as the FCA, ICAEW or the SRA.

Embezzlement

Whether an organisation has fallen victim to embezzlement by an employee or a third party or are an individual has been accused of embezzlement, the legal journey that ensues is a stressful and legally challenging one. Our lawyers offer expert guidance to their clients and regularly assist organisations in conducting internal investigations and advise them on their best means of redress be that through civil recovery or criminal prosecution. Our team has also vast experience in representing accused individuals.

Extradition

The cross jurisdictional nature of trading activity on the World Wide Web has meant that prosecuting authorities in different countries have had to cooperate more and introduce legal concepts such as “the long arm of the law”. These have enabled the extradition of UK citizens and residents to become more common place. Authorities regularly work together to gather evidence in support of prosecutions in the UK or elsewhere through mutual legal assistance arrangements. Our lawyers have often represented clients sought to be extradited and also have experience in dealing with the police and Home Office.

Fraud

No organisation is immune to falling victim of fraud. Our team of experts have vast experience in undertaking high profile, complex and multi-jurisdictional cases involving fraud. Our lawyers often represent either organisations that have been defrauded in carrying out investigations and prosecutions; or they advise the individuals who have been accused of carrying out fraud either through the investigation or the prosecution processes.

HMRC tax enquiries, investigations and prosecution appeals

Today’s political climate has led HMRC to be under more pressure than ever to be seen to be clamping down on organisations and individuals suspected of improperly handling their tax affairs and those advising them to do so. We understand the process and the importance of having one’s tax affairs in order. We regularly provide our clients with advice in relation to COP9 investigations, and both criminal investigations and prosecutions. We have also successfully advised clients on statutory tax appeals within the Tax Tribunal.

Mis-selling and misrepresentation

Unfortunately sometimes corporate acquisitions do not go as planned. Our team of dispute resolution experts has extensive experience in dealing with disputes in which there has been an alleged breach of warranty or of misrepresentation. The team is experienced in all aspects of bringing or defending such claims, including by using alternative dispute resolution methods.

Money laundering

Forming a fundamental part of the prosecutor’s arsenal, we understand the importance of ensuring the Proceeds of Crime Act 2000 and the Money Laundering Regulations are adhered to by our clients. We have successfully represented clients in challenging actions purportedly taken to prevent any money laundering, including by judicial review.

Secret profit

The introduction of the Bribery Act 2010 has strengthened the case for individuals to be prosecuted for receiving an undisclosed commission by a third party. Receiving such undisclosed payments can lead to either civil or criminal claims. Our team has vast experience in successfully representing companies and individuals in both making and defending these claims.

SFO prosecutions

Being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), who is tasked with tackling serious or complex fraud, bribery and corruption, can be a daunting experience. We have successfully guided parties through high profile investigations and prosecutions and are well placed to advise our clients on all related aspects including making voluntary self-reporting to the SFO and seeking deferred prosecution agreements.

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Acted for a Trustee and Financial Manager of a Russian bankrupt to recover assets in this jurisdiction in one of the largest frauds in Russian history
Acted for Magic Man Limited which had been defrauded of £750,000 by its Chief Financial Officer. The loss of money caused massive damage to the client’s business and to its cashflow and making payment of salaries difficult
Acted for Nest Investments (Holding) Limited, a shareholder in a Lebanese bank that was fined $102m and shut down by the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in 2011, after the bank was used to launder funds of international drug smuggling and international terrorism. Nest had issued a fraud/negligence claim against Deloitte & Touche, the auditor that allowed the bank to be used for money laundering, which was the largest fraud claim ever dealt with in the DIFC
Led a complex fraud claim, brought by majority shareholders of a company against its minority shareholders. The claimants claim that the defendants did not disclose important information relating to the sale, which led to the claimants suffering losses of up to £38m
Acted on behalf of Noorasa Begum in a case that involved a VAT fraud claim pursued by HMRC
Acted for the claimant in an action against two individuals for an advance-fee fraud
Acted for the Receiver of the Axiom Legal financing fund in conjunction with Jamie Smith QC and Anthony Jones of 4 New Square
Represented clients who had lost many millions of US dollars as a result of their involvement with an English solicitor who later was sentenced to a decade in prison for money laundering and other offences
Advising on a £1.8bn claim in misrepresentation against an Icelandic bank in the Reykjavik Court and UK High Court for the Tchenguiz Family Trust
Acting to resist the controversial and unpopular extradition of NatWest Three
Defending a HNWI from claims to recover c. US$22m for fraudulent misrepresentation and conspiracy to defraud by unlawful means over the sale of a large FMCG company in sub-Saharan Africa (Ovlas Trading SA v Strand (London) Limited & Ors [2009] All ER (D) 130)
Acting for a major European car rental business in its counterclaims for fraudulent misrepresentation, repudiation, and breach of contract against a major IT consultancy (Atos Consulting Ltd v Avis Europe Plc [2007] EWHC 323 (TCC); [2007] All ER (D) 07 (May)).
Advising UK building societies on claims against Kaupthing, Landesbanki, and Glitnir for c. £20m arising from capital markets instruments, following the collapse of the Icelandic banks
Advising a “Big 4” accountancy practice in relation to enforcement action by the FSA against the former directors of a FTSE 100 IT company
Acting in two cases involving the defence to claims brought by the liquidators of Bernard Madoff’s US and UK companies
Acting for the ex-wife of a multi-millionaire businessman in her £3m claim against him, arising out of investment in a Ponzi scheme
Advising a Swiss banker implicated in fraud proceedings; acting for a Middle Eastern state in relation to a $120m fraud; advising a firm of brokers involved in the Langbar fraud litigation

Please note: The experience list above features work carried out by lawyers who now work at Keystone Law however this work may have been completed prior to them joining the firm.