Fraud Newsletter

April 2025

Compiled by Faras Baloch, Andrew Herd & Francesca Kirby.

Focus

Q&A with Jonathan Fisher KC: Disclosure in a Digital Age – An Independent Review of Disclosure RLC: 17 Apr 25

Cases

Nothing of note.

Sentencing & Confiscation

Blackmail Guidelines Sentencing Council: 1 Apr 25

Measuring Sentence Inflation in England and Wales [Sentence severity for fraud in England and Wales has tripled since 2005]: Sentencing Academy: Apr 25

Bills, Statutes & SIs

Nothing of note.

Guidance, Reports & Consultations

Crown Court Compendium (updated): 28 Apr 25

Economic Crime Academic Forum Report RUSI: 24 Apr 2025

Legal Sector Affinity Group Anti-Money Laundering Guidance for the Legal Sector 2025 LSAG: 23 Apr 25

Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences - Part Two: terms of reference Gov.uk: 22 Apr 25

The Times Crime & Justice Commission Report into the State of the Criminal Justice System [Chap 6 deals with cybercrime & fraud]: The Times: 14 Apr 25

Cyber Governance Code of Practice Gov.uk: 8 Apr 25

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News

SFO

Serious Fraud Office makes three arrests after dawn raids in bribery investigation [Blu-3] Guard: 30 Apr 25

SFO Spent £4.7M On Abandoned Rio Tinto Corruption Probe Law360 [paywall]: 28 Apr 25

Will the SFO’s new “come dish your dirt” strategy work to tackle corporate crime? Spotlight on corruption: 24 Apr 25

Should corporate whistleblowers get paid? FT: 24 Apr 25

SFO Corporate Guidance [If corporate self-reports promptly & co-operates fully it will be invited to negotiate DPA not prosecuted unless exceptional circumstances]: SFO: 24 Apr 25

UK insurer charged with bribery in Ecuador [s.7 Bribery Act 2010] SFO: 17 Apr 25

Further arrest in Timeshare Legals Ltd investigation SFO: 17 Apr 25

'We need to be hungrier': SFO boss Nick Ephgrave on his 2025-26 agenda LSG: 14 Apr 25

Solicitor arrested by SFO allowed firm to be used as £30m banking facility LSG: 8 Apr 25

Serious Fraud Office sets out next steps in ambitious plan [corporate co-operation guidance, focus on international cooperation, whistleblower incentives, use of technology & failure to prevent fraud]: SFO: 3 Apr 25

CPS

Former Keltbray managers jailed after corruption trial Construction Enquirer: 29 Apr 25

Man jailed for defrauding Leeds City Council out of small businesses grants during Covid CPS: 15 Apr 25

Money launderers used romance fraud to scam 40 victims out of an estimated £3.25 million CPS: 4 Apr 25

FCA

Speech by Therese Chambers: Working together to deliver our enforcement priorities FCA: 16 Apr 25

Individual charged with carrying on an unauthorised business and misleading investors FCA: 15 Apr 25

Nikhil Rathi reappointed as FCA chief executive FCA: 10 Apr 25

Annual Work Programme 2025/26 [new anti-financial crime work to include data-led detection capability, & increased collaboration with partners to share & analyse data.]: FCA: 8 Apr 25

Insolvency Service

Brazilian teak plantation investments boss banned after customers lost more than £8.5 million IS: 22 Apr 25

Insolvency Service disqualified more than 1,000 directors in 2024-25 IS: 14 Apr 25

NCA

UK's first INTERPOL Silver Notice secured against fraudster NCA: 14 Apr 25

Operation Machinize: Hundreds of barbershops targeted in NCA-coordinated crackdown 10 Apr 25

UK

Post Office paid £600m to continue using Horizon BBC: 25 Apr 25

Major step for fraud prevention with landmark ban on SIM farms Gov.uk: 24 Apr 25

EY faces investigation over Post Office Horizon audit BBC: 16 Apr 25

Mastermind of 'one-stop shop' fraud website with one million victims jailed BBC: 15 Apr 25

Soldier who defrauded MoD of almost £1m jailed BBC: 15 Apr 25

Gambling Commission charges 15 with General Election betting offences Gambling Commission: 14 Apr 25

UK's biggest bankrupt tycoon is accused of 'secretly diverting £63MILLION to his wife and children' Daily Mail: 11 Apr 25

Council investigates potential fraud by staff BBC: 9 Apr 25

Investigation regarding the audit of Home REIT plc by BDO LLP FRC: 8 Apr 25

Fintech body calls on government for national anti-fraud centre Computer Weekly: 7 Apr 25

City of London Police partner with international law firm Gowling WLG to help victims of fraud recover their money CoLP: 3 Apr 25

Man charged with 64 offences in funeral home probe BBC: 2 Apr 25

Bank of England fines financier Jay Hambro City AM: 2 Apr 25

EU

EPPO Uncovers Massive €100M VoIP VAT Fraud OCCRP: 15 Apr 25

Huawei top executive in Europe charged in Belgian corruption probe Politico: 9 Apr 25

US

Three more prosecutors resign in aftermath of dismissal of case against NYC mayor (Eric Adams) Ind: 22 Apr 25

US Justice Dept disbands crypto enforcement team, citing Trump order Reuters: 8 Apr 25

Judge grants US request to end foreign bribery case, following Trump executive order Reuters: 3 Apr 25

Beyond

Former South Korean president Moon Jae In indicted on bribery charges Ind: 25 Apr 25

Peru’s former president and wife sentenced to 15 years in prison for Odebrecht-linked money laundering scheme ICIJ: 16 Apr 25

Indian billionaire jeweller arrested over alleged bank fraud BBC: 14 Apr 25