Fraud, Business and Financial Crime
The 3PB Fraud, Business and Financial Crime team provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ of expert barristers, advising on all aspects from assisting in internal company investigations and giving early advice through to trial management. You can expect our barristers to offer prompt, practical advice and robust representation.
Our specialists are frequently instructed to advise in deals where money laundering or bribery and corruption is suspected and to advise individual directors and boards on their corporate criminal liability, directors’ liability and corporate governance. Advice and representation concerning the search for and seizure of assets, the recovery of those assets, Restraint Orders, Freezing Orders, matters arising from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and related civil proceedings is also available from the barristers at any stage of proceedings or throughout.
Areas of expertise include:
- Revenue and Customs prosecutions
- Tax evasion
- FCA enforcement and prosecution
- OFT Cartel and price-fixing cases under the Enterprise Act
- BIS fraudulent trading and Companies Act prosecutions
- VAT (missing trader / carousel) fraud
- High value mortgage fraud
- Investor and creditor fraud
- SFO prosecutions (including advising witnesses who face interviews under compulsion under the SFO’s Section 2 powers
- International boiler room fraud
- Banking and credit card fraud
- International credit fraud as well as corporate manslaughter investigations and trials.
Each of the Government’s prosecuting bodies has different information gathering and investigative powers, creating a potential minefield for those subject to scrutiny and facing the possibility of criminal investigation. Our specialist barristers are skilled in prosecuting and defending these cases, so whether you want to avoid the mines, or ensure that the minefield does its job, there will be someone on our team best placed to deliver what is required.
Our Crime Barristers...
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3PB Barristers' (3 Paper Buildings) criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson, led by Zafar Ali KC of 23ES Chambers, represented Edward Jones who was charged with assisting an offender and fraud. After a 12-week trial at Winchester Crown Court before the Recorder of Winchester HHJ Morris, Edward Jones was unanimously acquitted of both counts. Nick (pictured here) and Zafar were instructed by Philip McCann of Penfold & McPherson Solicitors. To contact Nick Robinson, or to instruct...
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Nick Cotter and Graham Gilbert successfully prosecute organised crime gang in major phone fraud case
3PB's crime and regulatory barristers Nick Cotter and Graham Gilbert acted for the Crown in prosecuting an organised crime gang who defrauded major phone companies out of over £400,000 - seeing four of the five fraudsters jailed for a combined total of 11 years with the fifth, who admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy, due to appear for sentencing at a later date. The fraudsters all pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court to defrauding...
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3PB Barristers’ specialist fraud practitioner Jonathan Underhill (pictured here), led by Benjamin Newton KC of Doughty Street Chambers were instructed to defend MB. The 7-count indictment involved 6 separate but personally connected victims. Over a 5-year period, MB purported to invest sums in excess of £800K into both the Forex Capital Markets and various Cryptocurrency platforms. Notwithstanding the initial sums invested, Benjamin, Jonathan and Sam’s careful financial analysis led to the court accepting a loss...
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Criminal law specialist, Holly Fagan, pictured here, has become a member of chambers and will work from 3PB's Winchester office. She will be supported by 3PB's new criminal law and regulatory pupils Kate Davies and Jack Felvus. With a strong following and active client base for a barrister of her level of call, Holly has a busy practice both prosecuting and defending in the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court across the Western Circuit. Holly has...
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"Operation Kijang" involved an investigation across multiple police areas of a national, organised crime group stealing high-specification cars to order. “Strikers” were used to present false documents to obtain bogus finance agreements with well known car dealerships around the country. The activity was widespread and carefully planned, with 17 defendants being indicted for conspiracy to defraud with a total value of over £2 million. 3PB's specialist criminal and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill, pictured here, acted...
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3PB is delighted to welcome leading criminal law barrister Kate Lumsdon KC (pictured here) as a door tenant. Joint Head of Chambers at 23ES, Kate was called to the Bar in 1993. She practised exclusively on the Western Circuit at 2KBW until moving to 23 Essex Street in 2010. Prior to taking Silk in 2018, she was a Grade 4 prosecutor on both the Western and South Eastern Circuit, and defended across the country. Rated...
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3PB Barristers has welcomed top Silk Kevin McCallum QC (Scot), pictured here, a former criminal defence solicitor and a Procurator Fiscal Depute in Scotland - who specialises in criminal defence work, fatal accident inquiries and inquests - to the national chambers. He will work from its Inner Temple offices in London. Appointed as a Senior Advocate Depute in November 2006; Kevin was responsible for the preparation and conduct of a significant number of intensive, large...
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Jonathan Underhill’s client SB was unanimously acquitted following a seven-day trial at the Inner London Crown Court. The Prosecution alleged that SB was one of a number of persons involved in the conversion of criminal property, namely the proceeds of a $1.2million (USD) payment diversion fraud. Funds were fraudulently obtained from an international bank, and subsequently transferred across the globe via the first defendant and other persons and ultimately to SB and his company. Jonathan...
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3PB’s specialist crime barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured here) acted for Lance Corporal (LCpl) Nathan Walker, a serving soldier in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. LCpl Walker pleaded guilty to defrauding three vulnerable women he met on dating apps in order to finance his gambling addiction. There was some dispute between the prosecution and the defence about the overall value of the frauds. When passing sentence, HHJ Miller QC valued the fraud on the basis of...
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Victoria Sheppard-Jones, a specialist in financial crime and regulatory investigations, prosecutions and enforcement in the financial services and healthcare sectors, has joined national chambers 3PB Barristers from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). She has been working at the FCA on an investigation into the Anti Money Laundering and Compliance framework of a large bank. This follows two years as a complex casework lawyer at the Court of Appeal's Criminal Division. Prior to this, Victoria was...
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3PB Barristers have created a dedicated webpage on its website to act as a hub for the many articles, briefings and webinar and podcast recordings about lockdown laws and regulations as well as practical issues like court attendance, e-bundles, remote and hybrid hearings. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to create employment, contractual and other legal challenges which are in many ways unprecedented. The impact of the virus is being felt, and in response, 3PB have...
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3PB Barrister Jonathan Underhill was instructed by non-domiciled UK residents to draft urgent application papers and provide representation for third party interests to seek the proper return of funds argued to be legitimate and distinct from criminally obtained proceeds forming part of a complex international fraud. The Criminal Finances Act 2017 inserted sections 303Z1 – 303Z19 into the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Those provisions came into force in 2018 and are increasingly used by...
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