Personal

Serious Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions

SOLVING PERSONAL LEGAL MATTERS

Commercial and business fraud is often complex and wide ranging, involving investigations and prosecutions conducted by various different Government agencies including HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Some examples of serious fraud are:

Mortgage fraud
Missing Trader Fraud (MTIC)
Pension Fraud
Boiler room fraud
Ponzi scheme fraud
Corporate fraud

Investigations conducted by the Police and Serious Fraud Office into allegations of fraud can be extremely involved and lengthy. If you are facing an allegation of fraud, it is essential that you speak to a specialist fraud solicitor from the outset, however innocuous the allegations may seem at first. To speak to a fraud solicitor, call 01772 220 022 or complete our online enquiry form here and a member of the team will be in touch.

What is the sentence for a serious fraud offence?

If you are found guilty of a fraud offence you could be facing a very lengthy prison sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment or a substantial fine dependent on the nature of the crime and the harm caused as a result. The court may also impose an ancillary order such as a confiscation order in order to compensate the victims, deprivation order, financial reporting order, serious crime prevention order or disqualification as acting as a company director in the future.

When sentencing the judge will consider the amount of loss caused or intended, together with other potential culpability factors including:

Abuse of position of power or trust or responsibility
Sophisticated nature of offence/significant planning
Fraudulent activity conducted over sustained period of time
Large number of victims
Deliberately targeting victim on basis of vulnerability
A leading role where offending is part of a group activity
Involvement of others through pressure, influence

Why choose Forbes Solicitors for your SFO defence lawyer?

Our criminal defence team provide expert legal fraud defence advice and representation throughout the UK to those suspected of or charged with such offences. Forbes Solicitors criminal defence team have many years' experience in representing clients who have been the subject of investigations conducted and prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office. In our experience, expert advice from the outset of an investigation can reduce the prospect of being prosecuted, or help lay the foundations for the defence of cases which do go to court.

Our fraud solicitors are members of the Specialist Fraud Panel and Serious Fraud Association and depending on the circumstances are able to conduct the provision of advice and representation in fraud defence, either on a private fee-paying basis or through public funding through Legal Aid.

We are a dedicated and expert firm of specialist fraud defence lawyers with an outstanding reputation for the tenacious defence of cases of serious fraud and serious crime. To speak to a fraud solicitor, call 01772 220 022 or alternatively complete our online enquiry form.