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Fraud and dishonesty offences

Allegations of fraud or dishonesty offences can be devastating, with considerable consequences if convicted of such, both personally and professionally.

Such crimes often involve complex investigations, high-value sums and reputational risk.

Fraud and dishonesty offences cover a wide range of criminal conduct, including:

  • Fraud by false representation, failure to disclose information and or abuse of position
  • Conspiracy to defraud
  • Theft and false accounting
  • Benefit fraud
  • Mortgage fraud
  • Investment fraud
  • Money laundering and Proceeds of Crime offences
  • Bribery and corruption

Such offences will be prosecuted either by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or HMRC

A criminal conviction for fraud or dishonesty can result in:

  • Substantial custodial sentences
  • Confiscation of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
  • Disqualification from acting as a Company Director
  • Reputational harm
  • Immigration and employment consequences

If you are currently under investigation or facing prosecution, it is vital that you seek prompt expert legal advice, which we can provide at the PDS.

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Notable cases

R v Tecwen Whittock 2003 (Fraud)

Advocacy team

David Aubrey QC

About the case

VHCC case. Lasted two months. Defended the ‘cougher’ in the notorious and famous ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ trial.

Case involved obtaining the execution of a valuable security by deception and fraud. A three Defendant high-profile case involving technical evidence and scientific issues.

R v M (Fraud)

Advocacy team

Stephen Leslie QC

About the case

Advance fee fraud c.£12m, rent fraud, ramping fraud and money laundering

  • Representing the main defendant
  • 4-month trial prosecuted by the SFO
  • Largely paperless case where extensive material kept in encrypted form

R v H (Police corruption)

Advocacy team

Michael Wood QC

About the case

Police officers alleged to have shared the recovered proceeds of an armed robbery with others based at Rigg Approach.

R v Uddin 2018 (Fraud)

Advocacy team

John Burton QC

About the case

Eight-month VHCC case alleging an Immigration and Inland Revenue fraud against seven defendants. The case involved over 250,000 pages of evidence and involved allegation covering over five years. The client was a non-practising barrister who worked as an advisor for one of several linked immigration companies. The prosecution alleged that the defendants created many companies that then ‘employed’ immigration applicants on large salaries, deducting 40% tax from them each month. The large salaries ‘paid’ to them were then used to support their applications as tier one applicants. These are applicants who must acquire a number of points based upon the size of their income. At the end of the tax year the applicants, or someone purporting to be them, then reclaimed the tax back from the Inland Revenue. The fraud was that the companies only existed on paper and never employed anyone. False accounts had been created to make money loops whereby the same money was used repeatedly to appear as monthly income. No money was ever hand over to the Inland revenue and the claims for repayment were fraudulent. The defendant’s role was said to be assisting the applicants with the fraud. John drafted grounds of appeal against conviction to the Court of Appeal (see below).

R v M (Money laundering)

Advocacy team

Pina Silvio

About the case

Multi handed drugs case that involved money laundering over a number of years resulting in a further charge of fraud, namely tax evasion on property purchased to conceal funds throughout UK, several bank accounts were identified, voluminous case papers containing multiple company records and bank accounts. Defence tax experts instructed and called to give evidence

R v A 2019 (Fraud – Operation Liniment)

Advocacy team

Martin Sharpe

About the case

This case was listed for six months over two trials & involved company, tax & VAT fraud.

R v J, Preston Crown Court (Fraud)

Advocacy team

Robin Howat

About the case

VHCC contracted fraud case involving advanced fee fraud by subject of TV expose. Utilised specialised knowledge of the law and practice of Disclosure and RIPA.

R v J, Preston R v C and D, 2011 (Police corruption) Court (Fraud)

Advocacy team

Gerry Mohabir

About the case

Longest running referral from CCRC. Police Corruption originating from original Stephen Lawrence trial.

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