Serious Fraud
If you or your business have been accused of a serious or complex fraud or bribery and corruption offence, it is essential to seek the highest level of expert legal advice at the earliest opportunity. The serious fraud lawyers at Purcell Parker have extensive experience in this area and have represented clients in fraud cases at locations including Southwark Crown Court where many serious fraud cases are tried.
Birmingham-based serious fraud defence with a national reach
Our city-centre location is convenient for many of our individual and corporate clients based in Birmingham and the West Midlands. However, our serious fraud solicitors are happy to represent clients beyond the local area.
In serious fraud cases where hard-earned reputations and even liberty are at stake, discretion is key and our business crime solicitors’ low-key approach is designed to protect your reputation at all times.
In order to discuss what will inevitably be a complex and stressful situation, we are happy to visit you outside normal working hours at a place of your choosing.
Financing a serious fraud case
Serious fraud cases are by their nature complicated and often involve a lengthy investigation process. However, wherever possible, Purcell Parker’s business crime solicitors will provide you with a competitive fixed-rate quote for your legal defence.
What is serious fraud?
The most serious cases of serious fraud are investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), an authority that is unique in the UK for having the power to both investigate and prosecute cases of serious fraud. The SFO deal with a small amount of high-level and often high-profile cases which are deemed to pose a threat to thepublic, the UK’s reputation and integrity as a centre of international finance or its economic prosperity.
At Purcell Parker, we can also advise you on serious fraud investigations led by HMRC, the National Crime Agency, the Financial Conduct Authority and the police.
What are the consequences of serious fraud?
Serious fraud can cover a wide range of business crime including bribery and corruption, cyber crime, money laundering, tax evasion, tax fraud, insurance fraud, embezzlement and theft.
With prosecuting authorities such as the SFO determined to be seen as taking a tough stance in convicting those guilty of serious fraud, punishments can be severe and include unlimited fines, lengthy prison sentences and confiscation orders where companies are ordered to pay back money or other assets obtained illegally.
‘Failure to prevent’ offences
Since September 2017, the SFO has had the power to prosecute the offence of ‘failure to prevent the facilitation of overseas tax evasion’. This has important implications for businesses as it means the organisation itself or its senior executives can be prosecuted for failing to prevent financial crime within the business.
Businesses such as estate agents, financial institutions and law firms are legally required to put fit for purpose anti-money laundering policies in place, and any business at risk of being exposed to bribery and corruption is required to set up a procedure to prevent this offence.
At Purcell Parker we can both advise on setting up these policies and protecting your good name in cases where you have been accused of a serious ‘failure to prevent’ offence.
Defending serious fraud allegations
The serious fraud solicitors at Purcell Parker will keep you informed using a plain English approach at all times as we work to achieve the best possible outcome for your case, including scrutinising the prosecution’s case in order to establish grounds for the allegations to be dropped entirely, avoiding fines, professional penalties and prison sentences. If necessary, we will use external experts such as forensic accountants to identify key evidence that may otherwise be missed and we will guide you through every aspect of the process, including interview under compulsion, the trial procedure and attempts to confiscate your assets.
Expert defence for serious fraud
For more information on how we can help with allegations of serious fraud, please call 0121 236 9781 or fill in our contact form.
