Crime and Policing

The much-anticipated reports by Sir David Calvert-Smith and Brian Altman QC into failings at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in their Unaoil and Serco investigations were published on 21 July. As Lisa Osofsky, Director of the SFO said on their publication the reports "are a sobering read".

https://www.mondaq.com/uk/white-collar-crime-anticorruption-fraud/1223612/distrust-bias-and-incompetence-at-the-sfo

It is now widely accepted that financial crime is not ‘victimless’, but rather is wrongdoing which has a pervasive detrimental effect on legitimate commerce, and civilised society in general. As a result of this, many jurisdictions have introduced legislation establishing broad anti-financial crime regimes, policed by expert law enforcement agencies often possessing special investigative and prosecutorial powers.

https://www.penningtonslaw.com/news-publications/latest-news/2019/a-high-level-guide-to-uk-prosecutorial-and-enforcement-agencies#.Yv_MeOvQplc.twitter

Former Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner candidate Jonathon Seed will appear before Oxford Crown Court today, when it is expected prosecutors will drop election fraud charges.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/fraud-charges-against-former-police-040000522.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Attorney General (AGO) said on Monday that an independent review into how the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had handled a high-profile bribery case into energy consultancy Unaoil had been extended by around one month to late June.

https://uk.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/review-into-uk-fraud-office-extended-to-late-june-attorney-general-2663004

In 2018 the UK’s Serious Fraud Office came under new directorship, and professionals across the financial industry watched with bated breath and cautious optimism that the SFO had finally reached a turning point, where it could overcome its most deep-rooted issues.

https://www.ftadviser.com/opinion/2022/06/07/sfo-still-plagued-by-deep-rooted-issues/

A new £25 million central government taskforce that will enlist an elite team of experts to crack-down on fraudsters who attempt to steal taxpayers’ cash will be operational by the summer, the Chancellor will announce today (27 April).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-fraud-squad-will-crack-down-on-criminals-who-steal-taxpayer-money

The City of London Police has appointed Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hill as the new head of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/breaking-news/city-of-london-police-names-new-insurance-fraud-department-head-403363.aspx#disqus_thread

Entry to the 2022 TECAs is open and all those working in the economic crime sector are encouraged to nominate those who have made a significant contribution in tackling all areas of crime, such as fraud, corporate espionage, money laundering, bribery and corruption.

https://thetecas.com/2022/04/12/call-for-nominations-for-the-2022-tackling-economic-crime-awards-tecas/

An Irish organised crime group responsible for importing multi-tonne quantities of drugs and firearms around the world for more than 20 years has been hit with international financial sanctions – leaving their bank accounts frozen and funds inaccessible.

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/kinahan-crime-group-hit-with-worldwide-financial-sanctions

LONDON (Reuters) - The head of the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was on Tuesday accused of "very, very basic errors in litigation" and hiding behind a review into the agency's failings in a tetchy grilling by lawmakers.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/uk-fraud-office-head-accused-172432337.html