Stokoe Partnership Solicitors is a leading law firm for serious fraud. Our firm specialises in highly complex financial fraud and white-collar crime, often involving hundreds of millions of pounds.
The firm’s expertise in financial fraud and white-collar crime is recognised by both of the UK’s leading legal directories, The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. The Legal 500 has characterised the firm as ‘one of the leading defence firms in the country’, who ‘cover the full spectrum of crime and fraud with a burgeoning civil practice. They pursue cases with a relentless rigour’.
Our fraud solicitors are highly experienced at dealing with investigations and prosecutions for a wide range of serious frauds, including:
including boiler room fraud, bribery and corruption, conspiracy to defraud, corporate fraud, including fraudulent trading by company directors, counterfeiting, cyber fraud, identity fraud, immigration fraud & sham marriages, insider dealing, internet fraud, investment fraud, market abusemoney laundering, mortgage fraud, MTIC, carousel & VAT fraud, payroll fraud, Ponzi fraud, Revenue fraud, and trade mark fraud.
- boiler room fraud
- bribery and corruption
- conspiracy to defraud
- corporate fraud
- fraudulent trading by company directors
- counterfeiting
- cyber fraud
- identity fraud
- immigration fraud & sham marriages
- insider dealing
- internet fraud
- investment fraud
- market abuse
- money laundering
- mortgage fraud
- MTIC
- carousel & VAT fraud
- payroll fraud
- Ponzi fraud
- Revenue fraud
- trademark fraud
Complex fraud calls for meticulous preparation and strategic consideration from the outset. Our financial and business fraud lawyers have considerable experience working with leading barristers and experts to ensure that every client receives a bespoke service focused on ensuring the best possible outcome. We often advise and make representations during the investigations stage to avoid charge and prosecution. Where appropriate, we are also involved in effective negotiations with the investigating or prosecuting agencies to minimise the damage to our clients’ reputations and assets.
We appreciate that reputational damage to individuals and businesses can potentially occur as a result of a fraud investigation or prosecution and we have substantial experience advising clients on how to manage and minimise this damage.
Our specialist team is frequently instructed to represent clients in serious fraud cases conducted by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), National Crime Agency (NCA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the City of London Police. Our knowledge of the law and our skill set mean that we are used to dealing effectively with the different strategies and approaches adopted by these investigative and prosecuting agencies.
Our lawyers increasingly handle fraud cases on an international scale. These involve overseas jurisdictions, regulators and legal frameworks. Stokoe Partnership Solicitors has strong links with leading international experts and law firms abroad to handle these matters efficiently and effectively.
Notable cases
We represented two clients in a £245 million bribery and corruption scheme at HBOS. The case involved a lengthy 7 year investigation which is now subject to a further enquiry by the FCA. The offences are said to span over a decade and the investigation itself has taken many years. The alleged fraud and issues surrounding this case are so significant that they have been subject to parliamentary debate in the House of Commons. The defendants in the case included senior bank employees, a partner in a law firm and a company accountant.
We acted for a senior partner of a London-based commercial law firm facing money laundering and fraudulent trading charges relating to a $43 million fraud on the United Nations. The case involved multi-jurisdictional investigations in UK, USA, Denmark, Switzerland, Congo and the Netherlands which in turn raised highly complex jurisdictional disclosure issues. Our client was convicted at first instance but, following an appeal against the conviction, the Court of the Appeal subsequently quashed the client’s conviction and no re-trial was ordered.
We represented a client who was said to have played a leading role in defrauding various financial institutions in obtaining fraudulent mortgage applications in respect of nine properties dating from 2004 to 2005. Our client was extradited to the UK to face these charges. He was identified as the UK’s ‘Most Wanted Criminal’ in Cyprus. Prior to extradition to the UK a total of 11 people faced proceedings spanning four separate trials and we acted for a number of defendants in these trials. The case involves a detailed analysis of complex financial structures, agreements and documents.
We represent three individuals investigated in relation to allegations of bribery and corruption at an FTSE 100 company.
We represented a director of BAE systems in a bribery and corruption investigation conducted by the SFO into the award of military contracts to foreign countries. Following a lengthy investigation, settlements were reached which resulted in the Company being fined £30 million.
Represented two clients following a 3 year HMRC investigation into an organised and sustained attack on the Revenue system, which allegedly resulted in the loss of £50 million per annum of tax income.
We represented a client said to be part of a criminal organisation defrauding companies and businesses (including a professional football club) to the value of in excess of £160 million. The criminal organisation pretended to be employees of relevant financial institutions and directed their victims to redistribute the monies held in their accounts to accounts provided by the group. There then followed a sophisticated laundering scheme where the monies were diverted into offshore accounts belonging to fictitious companies and individuals.
We represented the public face of the hacking group The Lizard Squad who became known following the Christmas 2014 cyber-attack on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, which resulted in a worldwide shutdown of those gaming networks on Christmas day.
Following a lengthy police investigation by the South East Regional Organised Cyber Crime Unit, no charges were brought against our client or the group.
We represent two partners in a law firm charged with conspiracy to commit a fraud totalling millions of pounds against the Legal Aid Agency.
We act for a number of clients who were arrested as part of a HMRC sting operation which resulted in over 30 simultaneous arrests across the UK. The allegation was a sustained attack of the VAT system which resulted in a loss of £30 million to the exchequer.
We successfully represented a client who was subject to allegations of fraud and money laundering following extensive investigations by City of London Police. The allegations centred upon our client who had previously been employed by a bank. It was alleged that during the course of his employment he abused his position at the bank by fraudulently opening bank accounts in the name of fictitious companies which were used to launder vast sums of monies (said to be in the £millions) that were the proceeds of boiler room frauds.
We represent a client, with an alleged offence of fraudulent trading contrary to section 993 of the Companies Act 2006. It is said to involve fraudulently obtaining trade credit for goods and services.
We successfully represented a client who was prosecuted for the evasion of excise duty to the value of £680,000. Our client was said to be the leader of a global network smuggling counterfeit cigarettes into the UK and other European jurisdictions. At trial, following lengthy submissions that the Crown had failed in their continuing disclosure obligations, the case against all the defendants in the case was discontinued.
We successfully represented this client alleged to have perpetrated a fraud on Coutts Bank by obtaining commercial loans from the bank on false pretences.
We successfully represented our client who was charged with conspiracy to defraud HMRC in the supply of non-UK duty paid fuel following a lengthy investigation by HMRC. It related to Rebate Fuels which are subject to lower rates of excise duty undergoing a laundering process which allowed the fuel to pass off as normal road fuel. Following lengthy submissions that the Crown had failed in their continuing disclosure obligations the case was dropped.
Best London UK Criminal Defence Solicitor Attorneys at Top Law Firm Stokoe Partnership Lawyers