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Another reminder: fraud risk doesn’t respect position, status, or trust.
The CPS has authorised charges against two individuals, including a former police superintendent, in connection with an alleged £720,000 investment fraud.
For the counter‑fraud community, a few reflections:
Fraud thrives on trust – perceived credibility (whether professional, personal or institutional) remains a powerful enabler
Investment scams remain high-impact – single victims can suffer significant financial harm
Position ≠ protection – governance frameworks must assume risk at every level, including senior roles
Prevention remains critical – once funds are transferred, recovery is often complex, slow and uncertain
And importantly — as the CPS emphasises — these are allegations, and all defendants are entitled to a fair trial.
The takeaway?
Strong controls and governance need to be paired with strong challenge and awareness, especially where credibility and authority are factors in decision-making.
At MFF, cases like this reinforce the importance of collaboration, intelligence sharing, and proactive prevention across both public and private sectors.
Stronger, more visible counter‑fraud leadership isn’t optional - it’s foundational.
A timely intervention from MPs this week highlights a critical issue:
A need for clear ownership, visible leadership and cultural change in tackling fraud across complex organisations.
Key takeaways that resonate far beyond defence:
Leadership matters – fragmentation, weak ownership and siloed teams undermine outcomes
Culture drives effectiveness – fraud prevention must be treated as a strategic priority, not a compliance afterthought
Prevention over detection – too much focus remains on retrospective checks rather than proactive deterrence
For the counter‑fraud community, this reinforces a simple truth:
Strong frameworks don’t deliver outcomes — strong leadership does.
Across public and private sectors alike, we need:
✔ Clear accountability at senior level
✔ Integrated, cross-functional approaches
✔ Better use of data and technology
✔ A sustained focus on prevention, not just recovery
At MFF, this is exactly the conversation we need to keep pushing forward.
Gascoyne appointment follows retirement of Richard Las
Zoe Gasgoyne strikes a significant milestone for the UK counter-fraud community.
Congratulations to Zoe G. on becoming the first female Head of the Fraud Investigation Service. An important step forward for leadership, representation, and the continued strengthening of the UK’s response to fraud and economic crime.
Strong leadership in fraud investigation matters more than ever and this appointment sends a positive signal about capability, credibility, and progress across the profession.
What the SFO’s 2026–27 Business Plan means for fraud practitioners
The Serious Fraud Office (UK) has published its Business Plan 2026–27, and the message is clear: serious fraud enforcement is becoming more tech‑led, data‑driven and intelligence‑focused.
Key signals relevant to fraud professionals:
> AI and technology mainstreamed in investigations and disclosure
> Expanded cryptoasset and digital forensic capability
> Greater use of automation, TAR and proactive intelligence
> A push to improve disclosure efficiency and investigation timelines
For those working in fraud prevention, investigation and compliance, this reinforces the growing importance of digital readiness, evidence management and early intelligence—not just for regulators, but within organisations themselves.
A timely development for the counterfraud community, Midlands Fraud Forum Limited, ACFE UK Chapter etc as technology, collaboration and capability continue to shape the future of economic crime enforcement.
Investment fraud losses are rising sharply
New figures from City of London Police reveal that £879.8 million was lost to investment fraud in 2025 – equating to £1,675 every minute or £2.4 million every day. Reports rose by 31% year‑on‑year, with nearly 35,000 victims.
Fraudsters are exploiting economic uncertainty, volatile markets and increasingly sophisticated online platforms, including cloned websites with professional‑looking investment opportunities. Average losses per victim exceeded £25,000, often wiping out pensions or long‑term savings.
A stark reminder fraud prevention, investor education and strong controls remain critical – particularly as scams become harder to detect and more technologically convincing.
Operation Henhouse has delivered its strongest results yet, and it’s a significant moment for fraud‑fighting efforts across the UK, including here in the Midlands.This year’s intensification led to:✅ 557 arrests✅ £18.1m in cash and assets seized✅ £9m in account freezing orders✅ 6.5 million scam calls blocked, saving an estimated £2.1m✅ Major actions across every UK force and ROCU, including operations targeting money mules, organised fraud networks and online scams.For those of us in the Midlands Fraud Forum community, these results highlight how coordinated, intelligence‑led enforcement continues to disrupt criminal operations and protect our region’s businesses and communities.
https://policeprofessional.com/news/operation-henhouse-delivers-strongest-results-yet-in-fifth-year-of-national-fraud-crackdown/
Patisserie Valerie Fraud Trial Pushed to 2028
The fraud case linked to the collapse of Patisserie Valerie has been delayed until 2028, after the defence requested more time to prepare evidence - a reminder of just how complex corporate fraud cases can be.
For those of us in counter‑fraud, compliance, and ethics, this is yet another signal for when controls fail, investigations become long, costly, and public. Strong governance and early detection aren’t just best practice - they’re essential.
Fraud doesn’t just break companies. It breaks trust
Serious Fraud Office (UK) announces it is no longer proceeding with the prosecution of individual defendants in relation to London Mining plc.
After a decade‑long investigation, the SFO has dropped its London Mining case due to critical failures in its legacy evidence‑review software, which meant some material may never have been examined. The defendants were acquitted, and up to 20 other cases may be affected. This is the second major collapse linked to disclosure tech issues, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing vast digital evidence and mounting court backlogs.
For those of us in counter‑fraud, compliance, investigations, and risk, the message is clear:
Weak or unreliable review systems don’t just slow investigations — they can collapse them.
Technology must strengthen disclosure, not undermine it.
Delays, backlogs, and system strain continue to challenge the UK’s ability to prosecute complex financial crime.
Cases like this reinforce why robust processes, validated technology, and disciplined governance are essential across every stage of the investigative chain.
Crimestoppers Trust have launched a campaign in the Midlands to raise awareness of the crime and dangers of sextortion. The campaign is supported and part-funded by the Midlands Fraud Forum Limited, a non-profit organisation that supports counterfraud efforts in the Midlands.
Sextortion, also known as ‘financially motivated sexual extortion’, is a developing threat and a relatively new form of online blackmail. It is where criminals threaten to share explicit images or videos of a victim to the victim’s contacts and on social media if money isn’t paid, or if the victim fails to comply with a demand. The image may be a real photo taken by the victim or a fake image that the criminal has created to pursue blackmail.
Criminals target people through dating apps, social media, webcams or pornography sites. They may use fake ID to befriend a victim online and build trust, before requesting sexual images or videos.
The City of London Police is investigating a suspected widespread fraud case where a company named the 79th Group is believed to be offering loan notes to investors with a high interest return over a fixed period.
The 79th Group operate in real estate claiming to specialise in the acquisition, management and development of lucrative assets. They offer investment opportunities selling loan notes secured against properties.
Investors are contacted by various third-party introducers offering the opportunity to invest with fixed returns between 12% for a minimum £10,000 investment and 15% for a minimum £25,000 investment.
https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/news/city-of-london/news/2025/february/79th-group-investment-appeal-for-potential-victims-of-investment-fraud-to-come-forward/
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