Deepak Vij

Ranked in Directories as:

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Chambers, 2023

Leading Individual in Financial Crime and Crime – Legal 500, 2023

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Chambers, 2022

Leading Individual in Financial Crime and Crime – Legal 500, 2022

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Chambers, 2021

Leading Individual in Financial Crime and Crime – Legal 500, 2021

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Chambers, 2020

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Legal 500, 2020

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Chambers, 2019

Band 1 in Financial Crime – Legal 500, 2019

What the Directories say:

• ‘Deepak is very bright and he’s technically gifted.’ Chambers, 2023
• ‘He has excellent judgement and a superb all-round knowledge of the law.’ Chambers, 2023
• ‘Deepak is hard-working, exceptionally talented and maintains a formidable fraud caseload.’ Chambers, 2023
• ‘He’s a tactical genius who can see to the heart of a case in an instant.’ Chambers, 2023
• ‘Expert in defending serious and high-profile commercial and financial fraud cases.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Highly experienced criminal defence lawyer.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Continues to provide outstanding representation for high-profile corporate and individual clients, at an international level.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Insightful, dedicated and highly effective at achieving results for clients in large and high-profile cases.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Continues to provide outstanding representation for high profile corporate and individual clients, at an international level.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Deepak delivers the highest standard of legal advice and client care at all time.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Running the serious fraud and white collar crime team at ABV, Deepak has excellent capability coupled with first rate legal knowledge.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Unlike larger firms, Deepak provides a human side and level of engagement with the client that ensures maximum satisfaction and the efficient delivery of representation services.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘He is knowledgeable and a now a veteran of heavyweight white collar and financial crime.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Superb tactician and client handler.’ Legal 500, 2023
• ‘Deepak is highly skilled at handling complex financial crime matters, including money laundering investigations and investment fraud.’ Chambers, 2022
• ‘Advises on unexplained wealth orders, often with cross-border implications.’ Chambers, 2022
• ‘He is a highly thoughtful and strategic member of the firm, and is always on hand to offer helpful and calm advice.’ Chambers, 2022
• ‘He is straightforward and gets the client outstanding result.’ Chambers, 2022
• ‘Is an enormously experienced and exceptionally able fraud lawyer.’ Legal 500, 2022
• ‘He has an unerring perception of the real trial issues, which allows him to offer excellent, clear and practical strategic advice.’ Legal 500, 2022
• ‘His pursuit of the cause of his client is second to none.’ Legal 500, 2022
• ‘Is highly skilled at handling complex financial crime matters, including money laundering investigations and investment fraud.’ Chambers, 2021
• ‘He also advises on unexplained wealth orders, often with cross-border implications.’ Chambers, 2021
• ‘His commitment to his clients is exceptional.’ Chambers, 2021
• ‘He is very experienced, clever, well prepared and a good lateral thinker.’ Chambers, 2021
• ‘He is enormously talented yet down to earth and pragmatic in his approach.’ Chambers, 2021
• ‘Is highly specialized in the business crime area.’ Legal 500, 2021
• ‘Has a huge following, and is trusted and knowledgeable.’ Legal 500, 2021
• ‘Deepak is highly regarded for his expertise in fraud and money laundering matters.’ Chambers, 2020
• ‘He’s great with clients, he’s insightful and he gives pragmatic advice.’ Chambers, 2020
• ‘He handles things with real care and aplomb.’ Chambers, 2020
• ‘Has a strong serious fraud practice.’ Legal 500, 2020
• ‘Highly skilled, knowledgeable, and determined.’ Legal 500, 2019
• ‘Has an unerring ability to identify the key tactical and evidential issues in complicated cases.’ Legal 500, 2019
• ‘An outstanding reputation for fighting high-profile cases with a strategic approach.’ Legal 500, 2019
• ‘Deepak heads the team, he has excellent judgment and a strategic approach.’ Legal 500, 2019
• ‘Gives a premium service to his clients.’ Legal 500, 2018
• ‘Is experienced in multi-defendant trials, grey-collar crime matters and VAT and customs offence cases.’ Legal 500, 2018
• ‘White-collar crime and boiler room fraud expert.’ Legal 500, 2018
• ‘A formidable lawyer.’ Legal 500, 2017

UNAOIL
Highly publicised investigation conducted by the Serious Fraud Office into bribery and corruption offences against Unaoil and affiliated companies. Linked to investigations conducted by the Department of Justice in the USA, Australia and Brazilian Authorities.

LONDON CAPITAL & FINANCE LTD

Serious Fraud Office investigation alleging an investment fraud where collectively over 11,000 investors lost circa £237 million. Highly publicised investigation leading to a Compensation Bill being laid out before Parliament and an independent investigation of the FCA action’s by an Independent Reviewer, Dame Elizabeth Gloster.

PATISSERIE HOLDING PLC

The Serious Fraud Office is conducting a criminal investigation into the business and accounting practices of individuals associated with Patisserie Holdings PLC, revealing allegedly an accounting irregularity of £94 million.

PETROFAC PLC

The SFO is investigating the activities of Petrofac PLC, it’s subsidiaries and their officers, employees and agents for bribery and corruption, including money laundering. The investigation into the use of agents in multiple jurisdictions including Saudia Arabia and Iraq is ongoing.

AMEC FOSTER WHEELER

SFO Investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption spanning from 1996 to 2014 relating to the use of agents across the world in Nigeria, Saudia Arabia, Malaysia, India and Brazil. Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered amounting to £103 million, which forms part of a global settlement with the UK, US and Brazillian authorities of $US 177 million.

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

Serious Fraud Office investigation into claims of bribery and corruption in one of the world’s largest suppliers of tobacco, British American Tobacco. Widely publicised including on the BBC Panorama where a whistle blower at BAT has made claims that substantial bribe payments were offered to those who obtained confidential information about the marketing and product knowledge from competitor tobacco producers.

CW CHEYNEY LT- SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

Pension Fund Fraud Case was referred by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and prosecuted by the SFO.

OPERATION TIDWORTH – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

Said to be one of the largest investigations conducted by the FCA in a share fraud carried out through a series of boiler room companies which led to the loss of £2.8 million of investors’ money. Defendants were alleged to have purchased a land in the Madeira Island in Portugal and offered shares to investors promising guaranteed returns.

OPERATION RYELAND – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

The City of London Police investigated this investment fraud which related to the miss-selling of land and carbon credits under three land banking schemes, operated by 8 defendants, who together conspired to defraud investors of approximately £3 million by making false representations about the development value of the investments.

During the investigation 3 of the defendants also set up a new company selling carbon credits. The police used intrusive surveillance techniques such as the installation of covert cameras in offices used by the defendant.

R V P – INVESTIGATION STAGE – FCA INVESTIGATION

This case concerns a series of companies who were running a land banking scheme which fell into the description of a collective investment scheme this falling foul of the FSA Management Act. The case is said to be one of the biggest prosecutions brought.

R V N – OLD BAILEY

This serious allegation investigated by the FCA involves misrepresentations to investors re the sale of Green Belt land. The defendants ran a sophisticated operation to dupe investors and resulted in losses in excess of £6 million.

OPERATION HASELMERE – INVESTIGATION STAGE

An investigation conducted by the Financial Conduct Authority summarised as a “boiler room fraud” where unauthorised investment advice was offered and shares were sold at pre-initial Public Offerings. The said loss is around £4.5 million where a large number of shares sold were for public limited companies. The FCA allege that a number of front companies were used to disguise the true purpose of the business and to show that its operations were legitimate.

OPERATION NACHO – LEEDS CROWN COURT

This matter relates to a multi-handed and large -scale property investment fraud involving a York based property club called Challenor Property Developments. The value of the fraud was estimated in excess of £2 million. The case involved over 130 franchise victims.

OPERATION EASTLEIGH – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

Deposit taking Ponzi investment scheme amounting to circa £1 million where investors were allegedly made false promises of returns. The FCA further allege breaches under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

R V H – FCA INVESTIGATION

Insider dealing and market manipulation allegedly conducted by a Senior Officer of a well-known household PLC. The said Officer of the company received internal confidential information where he allegedly used that information to conduct spread betting.

OPERATION STAGECOACH – BLACKFRIARS CROWN COURT

Defendants face charges of Conspiracy to Defraud where investors have allegedly been persuaded to buy rare earth elements. Transactions were carried out through an Escrow Agent and by over 40 brokers based in the UK. The value of the fraud is said to be circa £7 million.

R V C – CITY OF LONDON INVESTIGATION

The City of London are investigating this mammoth Ponzi investment scheme. Our client is one of a number of persons being investigated for this fraudulent investment scheme incurring a loss of substantial sums of money to investors. A number of companies, banks, famous footballers outside the jurisdiction including the Cayman Islands were used to perpetuate this fraud.

OPERATION KANTEEN – LEWES CROWN COURT

Multi-handed national fraud rogue trader investigation, targeting elderly or vulnerable victims. In excess of 170 victims in the operation who were contacted and given the impression that they were speaking to the police, trading standards or crown court judges. The investigation led to over 50 people being arrested with a total loss in excess of £3.5 million from the victims.

OPERATION WINTERGREEN – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

Investigation conducted by the City of London Police into the mis-selling of carbon credits. Offices were set up by the Defendants in expensive locations in the City of London, including the Gherkin building, where hundreds of people were recruited to target wealthy investors and deploy pressurised sale tactics. In total 130 victims made investments and purchased both CER and VER carbon credits.

OPERATION JACKDAW & IVAN- READING CROWN COURT

An investigation into a series of investment (boiler room) frauds targeting vulnerable elderly people where “suckers lists” are allegedly used to target previous victims to re-invest. The value of this fraud is described in millions at present.

R V D – MAIDSTONE CROWN COURT

This case concerned a multi-handed and serious conspiracy to defraud investors of circa £1/2 million of fine wine. Most of the targeted investors were vulnerable and elderly. The fraud was protracted and highly sophisticated.

OPERATION JOUST- READING CROWN COURT

This matter was regarded as one of the largest prosecutions of it’s time. The case concerned a sophisticated Conspiracy to Defraud Microsoft in excess of £60 million and was investigated and prosecuted jointly by the NCS and the FBI.

R V A – INVESTIGATIONS STAGE

This case involves a well-established company who had an advanced fee arrangement with a prominent bank. The company was able to raise up to 80% of their invoices through the bank before they were settled. It is alleged that the company created false accounting in excess of £25 million. This case is at the investigation stage and has resulted in many arrests so far.

OPERATION ACADEMY – BLACKFRIARS CROWN COURT

Sophisticated investigation focused on skimming devices installed on TFL Ticket vending machines and other cash machines which were installed to obtain credit and debit card devices. Details obtained were then used to allegedly commit millions of pounds worth of fraud. The case was linked to a case investigated by the FBI and prosecuted in the USA.

R V C – NATIONAL MOBILE PHONE CRIME UNIT INVESTIGATION

This investigation concerned allegations of a Conspiracy to Defraud the network service providers Vodafone, o2, EE and 3. In excess of 20 people were arrested. Those at the top of the chain are said to have recruited students from universities in the UK to apply for contracts in return for a fixed sum payments. Contracts were later cancelled by the company with the mobile phones being later sold and the customer being faced the burden of the airtime contract and mobile phone.

INVESTIGATION STAGE

We are instructed to defend a number of individuals who are being investigated for a large -scale Conspiracy to Defraud relating to the order and delivery and subsequent disappearance of millions of pounds worth of Apple IPhones and IPads, and over 120 tonnes of Copper. The goods were ordered from companies in the Netherlands and Germany, from the defendants who purported to be from B & M Home Stores and SSE. This has been described as one of the largest Long Firm Frauds to be investigated.

OPERATION CALANTH – SNARESBROOK CROWN COURT

Conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. The Defendants contacted computer supply companies pretending to be large companies and government agencies ordering high value computer supplies namely laptops and iPads. The defendants allegedly adopted false email address relating to legitimate business to order computer supplies. On-going proceedings with a loss value of circa £1.2 million.

R V N – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This was a multi-handed case relating to a Conspiracy to Defraud to the tune of £1.2 million involving Sure Start Maternity Grants.

R V B & OTHERS – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This was a serious and multi- handed Conspiracy to Defraud the Ministry of Defence. The prosecution disclosure was mammoth and involved the instruction of forensic accounts to look into the accounts of a number of companies who falsified their respective accounts in respect of agency staff. The loss to the MOD was substantial.

OPERATION ILLMAN- OLD BAILEY

We successfully represented a jockey in a high- profile horse race fixing / doping case relating to the defrauding of bookmakers. The matter was investigated and prosecuted by the National Crime Squad. Following legal submissions, the case was dismissed.

OPERATION CART – CROYDON CROWN COURT

Multi handed Conspiracy to Defraud the Central Clearing Banks of the U.K in one of the first high tech prosecutions brought by City of London police for Chip and Pin fraud. The defendants were described as being part of a sophisticated organised crime group.

R V G – ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT

Alleged breach of trust case where the Defendant was suspected of abusing her position as a payroll manger to defraud her employer, Sodexo. In addition, the Defendant and others allegedly falsely applied for around 300 airside passes in return for remuneration, an act said to have caused a major breach of security at Heathrow airport.

R V W – SNARESBROOK CROWN COURT

This case concerned a large telecoms multi handed fraud in which many multinational telecom companies were defrauded of airtime. The matter was investigated by the NCS and involved covert intrusive surveillance which was successfully challenged.

OPERATION UNION – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT

The Defendant along with others committed frauds and other offences relating to cherished number plates from DVLA. The police conducted a lengthy surveillance operation to gather evidence in this complex fraud which also involved stolen and cloned vehicles.

R V G, S & A – ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT

Multi-handed Conspiracy to Defraud involving the ‘Car Clocking’ of hundreds of cars, which were then distributed both Nationally and Internationally.

OPERATION AQUAMARINE – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This Investigation was conducted by The City of London Police and related to a high value mortgage fraud to the tune of approximately £40 million. The defendants were alleged to have fraudulently obtained mortgages from Barclays Private Clients International Limited in the Isle of Man and Abbey Commercial Mortgages. 18 defendants were charged including solicitors, chartered surveyors, mortgage brokers and individuals from Barclays.

OPERATION PONTIPANDY – KINGSTON CROWN COURT

Multi handed large – scale mortgage fraud relating to numerous self-certification mortgages running into millions of pounds. Due to the sheer complexity of banking evidence and volume of disclosure served by the prosecution the defence successfully instructed forensic accountants.

R V N- ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT

This matter related to a serious fraud and tax evasion exceeding £1.2M on a large buy to let property portfolio. The case involves a series of allegedly fraudulent mortgage applications over a ten- year period by the defendant and his wife. They were also accused of failing to pay income tax on the rental income and capital gains tax on the sale of the properties, whilst also making fraudulent applications for tax credits. The case involves dozens of mortgage applications and tenancy agreements, together with bank statements and related correspondence, amounting to in excess of 12,000 pages of prosecution evidence. A forensic defence accountant has been instructed to assist in this task.

OPERATION LOOK-IN – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

The defendant was an accountant accused of a large -scale conspiracy relating to mortgage frauds involving the certification of hundreds of self-certified mortgages over a protracted period. The case involved handwriting and forensic experts being instructed and the consideration of a vast amount of prosecution disclosure.

OPERATION SYSTOM – LUTON CROWN COURT

Multi-handed Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering relating to the acquisition of valuable land concerning a number of fraudulent mortgage applications being made for a very substantial loss. The prosecution disclosure was vast.

OPERATION KEMNEY/ CPS V MATTU [2010] CRIM L.R 229CA – REPORTED CASE – LEWES CROWN COURT

Multi handed Money Laundering and Mortgage Fraud. The case involved complex confiscation proceedings involving millions of pounds worth of assets. This was a Reported case which dealt with the Breach of Promise namely promise on acceptable pleas/basis of plea and bail.

OPERATION YALONG – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

Multi-million-pound fraud where one of the defendants was alleged to have impersonated the owner of a property in a sophisticated operation to obtain a high value bridging loan. The proceeds were transferred to Dubai and removed.

OPERATION RAILHEAD – SNARESBROOK CROWN COURT

This was a serious and sustained Conspiracy to Cheat and Mortgage Fraud involving vast sums of monies. The matter took over two years to investigate due to the vast number of banks and different mortgage applications involved. The prosecution authority was HMRC.

R V Z – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT

A £150 million corporation tax fraud where allegedly work was declared, that had not been undertaken, for an innovative project in science and technology in order to claim Research and Development Tax Relief. There is a complex arrangement of companies in the haven islands and overseas which requires detailed analysis of legal documents.

OPERATION INERTIA – KINGSTON CROWN COURT

A high-profile case described as one of the largest Missing Trader / VAT Fraud investigation in the UK. The fraudulent companies involved ran a turnover, which was well in excess of £170 million. Companies both in the UK and in Europe were set up to falsely claim to sell mobile phones and other electronics in order to eventually syphon the VAT owed.

OPERATION SAVATE – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT

One of the largest frauds to be carried out using the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) with £8 million loss to the Revenue. Allegations included Cheating the Revenue of VAT, Income tax, Corporation Tax and National Insurance Contributions and Money Laundering. Illegal activity involved more than 100 businesses across the country whose identity was either hijacked or were part of the fraud.

OPERATION SPARTAN – CROYDON CROWN COURT

This is a large- scale VAT fraud within the construction/ labour industry which dealt with bogus CIS (Construction industry Scheme) claims. The loss to the Revenue amounted to millions of pounds and defence enquiries extended to enquiries in India.

R V S – KINGSTON UPON HULL CROWN COURT

This case involved a large -scale Facilitation of Illegal Immigrants working in the Labour industry in the UK under the CIS Scheme. The case required extensive international defence enquires principally in India. The defendant we represented was acquitted after a lengthy trial.

OPERATION FUSION – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This multi defendant case investigated by HMRC involved a very large and serious Diversion Fraud relating to the export of vast sums of alcohol worth millions of pounds and fictitious bonded warehouses. The case related to the infamous London City Bond cases, which were successfully appealed before the Court of Appeal, due to evidence relating to paid informants.

OPERATION EIGER – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This case concerned a huge Conspiracy to Evade Duty and VAT of circa £40 million relating to the smuggling of tobacco from China and Russia. The case involved three separate trials due to the number of defendants involved. The case was one of the largest prosecutions of its time.

OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE – MAIDSTONE CROWN COURT

Multi-handed duty evasion case involved an operation, which lasted in excess of 15 months. The defendants are alleged to have brought alcohol into the country without the appropriate duty being paid. The estimated loss to the Revenue being in the region of £2 million.

R V Z – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

The case is split into two sections: a Multi-million pound VAT carousel fraud and duty evasion on cigarettes imported into the UK. Defendants were alleged to have falsely created companies to orchestrate transactions where a substantial amount of VAT was owed to the Revenue. Cigarettes were bought into the UK through importations of tissues and noodles.

OPERATION VARLET – KINGSTON CROWN COURT

Multi-handed Missing Trader/VAT Fraud worth millions of pounds of lost revenue generated from the supply of significant amounts of mobile phones in Europe.

OPERATION DUMA – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT

Large Multi Handed VAT Carousel Fraud, investigated by Revenue Customs Prosecution Office. The loss was in several millions of pounds. The prosecution disclosure in this matter was very substantial.

OPERATION BOMBARD – INVESTIGATION STAGE

HMRC in conjunction with the UK Border Force are leading this extensive investigation relating to the seizure of millions of pounds worth of cigarettes which were imported in several consignments into Heathrow Airport. The case involves substantial surveillance including convert and intrusive surveillance.

OPERATION CURTAIN- INVESTIGATION STAGE

This investigation involves substantial surveillance by HMRC on the illicit activities of a number of individuals suspected of being involved in the fraudulent evasion of circa £2 million cigarettes. A vast amount of cash was seized during the investigation and a number of arrests have been made for the evasion of duty and for money laundering.

OPERATION CLUMBER – HARROW CROWN COURT

Multi-handed conspiracy to Evade Duty on the importation of vast consignments of Cigarettes and Tobacco resulting in a loss to the Revenue of many millions of pounds. The s urveillance operation involved many officers over a lengthy period of time both in the U.K and in a number of countries in Europe.

OPERATION TOOLSHED – KINGSTON CROWN COURT

This case concerns a multi handed Evasion of Duty, which involved the importation from Kuwait of a very large quantity of cigarettes, which resulted in a huge loss to the Revenue.

OPERATION GOODIES/ R V BAJWA & OTHERS [2011] EWCA CRIM 1093 REPORTED CASE – MANCHESTER CROWN COURT

Multi handed Conspiracy to Evade Duty on millions of smuggled cigarettes from China. The Proceeds of Crime Act Confiscation proceedings, which followed were one of the largest in the U.K and were delayed as a result of the case of R v May on Apportionment and Criminal Lifestyle.

OPERATION COCOA – GUILDFORD CROWN COURT

Large Conspiracy to Evade Duty on VAT in respect of high value jewellery, gold and diamonds allegedly being exported out of the U.K. Case required defence enquiries to be made in the Dubai gold souks.

OPERATION TRICKSHOT – GUILDFORD CROWN COURT

Case concerns multi-million pound charges of Cheating the Public Revenue and Money Laundering. The nature of the fraud was to take advantage of the VAT system which allows the Zero Rating of invoices and permits for any VAT spent on expenses incurred to be claimed by producing falsifying documentation. Defendant was also subject to complex Restraint Order and confiscation proceedings concerning multiple third parties.

OPERATION FUSTUSCARO – HARROW CROWN COURT

Large scale investigation involving 19 defendants charged with offences of Conspiracy to Defraud by submitting fraudulent insurance claims. The individuals were divided into two separate organised crime networks who were actively arranging the crashes of vehicles with Tesco’s delivery vans. Crashes were alleged to be either staged or induced.

OPERATION EXHORT – LUTON CROWN COURT

This case concerned a major insurance ‘cash for crash’ scam operating in the south of the county. Bedfordshire police investigated these defendants for over 6 months for fictitious and staged accidents involving innocent motorists, resulting in a substantial loss to insurance companies. This was one of the first prosecutions of this kind.

OPERATION SALVAGE – READING CROWN COURT

Operation commenced in 2014 where 550 car accidents in the East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire region were said to have been involved in induced collisions. Subsequent compensation claims were paid out which were allegedly on the basis of false information.

R V S – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

This investigation was conducted by City of London Police. The defendants were charged with a national fraud against credit and debit card companies with a loss of circa £1 million. The Crown alleged that there had been an abuse of provisions afforded to individuals such as credit protection, chargebacks and refunds. The defendants were said to have made a number of fraudulent transactions through complex arrangements and defrauded banks and merchant companies providing chip and pin facilities.

OPERATION RIBBON – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT

Multi handed Conspiracy to Defraud various companies of its creditors’ pre liquidation. The loss was several millions of pounds and the operation of the fraud deemed to be very sophisticated. This was considered to be one of the largest Long Firm Frauds ever prosecuted.

OPERATION ARCADIA – OLD BAILEY

The City of London Police investigated this large scale, multi handed counterfeit fraud related to the manufacture, supply and distribution of a vast quantity of counterfeit DVDs by a sophisticated organised crime group. The value of the criminal enterprise was estimated to be in the millions.

R V M – MAIDSTONE CROWN COURT

The case involved a senior NHS medical staff accused of manipulating the patient database system to inflate out of hours work figures. The Defence was focused on the disarray at the NHS patient management software and policy to increase workload to reduce waiting lists.

R V N – GUILDFORD CROWN COURT

This case concerned a serious fraud against the NHS. The defendant was employed on an agency basis for the Bromley Primary Care Trust for a number of years as a commissioner who defrauded hundreds of thousands of pounds by dishonestly invoicing for the care of patients receiving services under the Mental Health Act.

OPERATION ABBEYVILLE – CROYDON CROWN COURT

This case consisted of 7 defendants, all charged with conspiracy to defraud the Secretary of Work and Pensions. There were two separate frauds involving the lead defendant. The case involved making false access to work claims. Access to work is a scheme to assist disabled individuals in obtaining and remaining in employment. In this case, the companies were employing individuals who were hard of hearing and the assistance provided through the scheme was sign language interpreters. The disclosure in this matter was very substantial.

OPERATION LEMONDROP – READING CROWN COURT

This case was prosecuted by HMRC and involved the covert and intrusive surveillance of the defendants who were charged with Cheating the Public Revenue and Benefit Fraud over a period of 15 years for a vast amount of money. The prosecution disclosure was substantial resulting in the instruction by the defence of forensic accountants.

OPERATION KADENZA – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

A “vishing and phishing” fraud with an alleged loss of £113 million, where an organised crime group infiltrated the systems of Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group and targeted their business customers. Seven different police forces were involved in this investigation.

OPERATION FALCON – BLACKFRIARS CROWN COURT

Sophisticated vishing fraud where bank accounts, email addresses and other personal data was hacked to obtain personal and sensitive data which was used to conduct a vishing fraud with a value of over £12.5 million.

OPERATION ALYXIA – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

An investigation which stemmed from Operation Kadenza (£113 million vishing fraud). Employees within RBS and the Lloyds bank provided other individuals with confidential client information. Bank accounts were then accessed and sums withdrawn or utilised to commit fraud.

OPERATION BIZET – GUILDFORD CROWN COURT

This was a serious, sophisticated and multi -handed case involving a conspiracy to defraud various high street banks. The case was aggravated by the fact that the targeted victims of this fraud concerned vulnerable & elderly victims by an organised crime group who worked within the banks and managed to scam hundreds of thousands of pounds.

R V N & OTHERS – CROYDON CROWN COURT

The City of London Police investigated this multi- million pound Conspiracy to Defraud case which involved, at the time, one of the largest ever banking frauds. The defendants were faced with lengthy & complex confiscation proceedings involving criminal lifestyle.

R V C & OTHERS – OXFORD CROWN COURT

This was a multi-handed and large -scale fraud relating to the purchase of a vast quantity of vehicles using compromised credit card details provided by members of an organised crime group, some of whom worked for a number of high street banks.

OPERATION SPRUCE – READING CROWN COURT

Large multi handed Conspiracy to Defraud, Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and Perjury resulting from the local elections in Slough, Berkshire. The volume of the prosecution disclosure was substantial and involved a very lengthy trial.

OPERATION SURGING – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

An investigation conducted by the National Crime Agency where it is suspected that the organised crime group has laundered large quantities of cash, estimated to be at least £40 million. The source of the criminal conduct is believed to be derived from bonded alcohol which has been diverted to the UK market without the payment of an excise duty.

R V D – ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT

A multi-handed case relating to over £8 million laundered. Substantial surveillance conducted over a lengthy period of time. Evidence of criminality was purely circumstantial therefore the principles in R v Anwoir 1998 were central to this case.

R V K – SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

The defendant was said to be the owner of a number of illegitimate money exchange bureaus across the U.K who had through a sophisticated manner had laundered in excess of £9.2 million with the assistance of a number of other defendants. The phone and cell site evidence produced by the prosecution was successfully undermined.

OPERATION UNPHAZED – NOTTINGHAM CROWN COURT

The case centres around allegations of a Missing Trader/ VAT Fraud and money laundering to the value of £10 million which resulted in alleged breaches of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 and offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Over 50 companies based in the UK and Europe were said to be involved in complex chains of transactions where the Defendant was acting as an Escrow Agent.

OPERATION SOLITUDE – READING CROWN COURT

Alleged to be a serious money service bureau operation which was used to transfer criminal property obtained through drug dealing by other suspects in the South East of the UK. Sums of cash handled by the Defendants exceed £4.5 million.

OPERATION ACCOLADE – READING CROWN COURT

This investigation concerned an allegation that the Defendant which we represented was a sophisticated and cunning money launderer who was closely linked with serious and organised criminality in the Thames Valley, Hampshire and Surrey areas. The prosecution relied Based on surveillance and cell site evidence to attempt to prove the movement and launder of millions of pounds through numerous bank accounts. The case was linked to R v A and Operation Quaker.

OPERATION ADDLINGS – BLACKFRIARS CROWN COURT

Sophisticated hawala banking alleged money laundering operation where Defendants are linked to the operation due to hundreds of £5 “token notes” found on mobile phones which suggest that millions of pounds were laundered.

OPERATION BELMAN – MANCHESTER CROWN COURT

This case is linked to Operation Façade. Charges were brought after a BBC Panorama programme in respect of systematic cheating on English Language Testing (TOEIC) at colleges where these tests were being sat by ‘pilots’ and the colleges were allegedly facilitating such cheating. As a result of these test results, applicants were able to fulfil certain criteria in their visa applications. The defendant received training by ETS as an administrator for TOEIC testing and was part of the senior management at the college. Case required a detailed understanding of the education system and role of testing centres with education institutions.

OPERATION DIVINER: R V C & K AND OTHERS – INNER LONDON CROWN COURT

This was one of the largest ever prosecutions brought by the UKBA. The case involved a sophisticated multi handed conspiracy to facilitate the immigration of asylum seekers into the UK, following a nine -month covert operation at Heathrow Airport. The case related to Afghan illegal immigrants who were provided with counterfeit passports by the organised crime group.

OPERATION YACER – READING CROWN COURT

This highly published case featured on the TV series ‘UK Border Force’ and involved a large Conspiracy to Facilitate Illegal Entry into the U.K prosecuted by the UKBA. The case involved a number of defendants who arranged Sham Marriages on a commercial scale across the U.K.

OPERATION TOBIN – HARROW CROWN COURT

Multi-handed Conspiracy to Defraud the Secretary of State for the Home Office. The defendants were said to have caused and permitted false financial information in support of applications for Tier 1 Immigration Visas.

OPERATION CARPAL
 – STAFFORD CROWN COURT

This large Conspiracy to Facilitate Illegal Immigration involved People Trafficking from India. The case received a great deal of publicity as the News of the World provided front page coverage and reported the case to the police. The case Involved extensive defence enquiries in India.

OPERATION SWALE – ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT

This prosecution was brought by the UKBA and officers from SCD9 following, the highly publicised prosecution of the ‘ Sharma Uni-Visa’ Scam. This case involved a large scale multi handed Conspiracy to Defraud the Secretary of State together with numerous immigration offences namely Facilitation of non EU Nationals to Remain in the U.K or Gain Entry into the U.K by Deception and Money Laundering. The case surrounded false documentation and a fictitious Indian website and falsely created organisation called Telugu One which was used to facilitate the fraud.

R V S – KINGSTON UPON HULL CROWN COURT

This case involved a large -scale Facilitation of Illegal Immigrants working in the Labour industry in the UK under the CIS Scheme. The case required extensive international defence enquires principally in India. The defendant we represented was acquitted after a lengthy trial.

OPERATION COPTINE – LEICESTER CROWN COURT

This matter involved a multi handed – Conspiracy to Facilitate Illegal Immigration involving People trafficking from South Africa. The case was described as one of the biggest of that time.

INVESTIGATION STAGE

Investigation by UK Border Agency officers in respect of Human Trafficking from the Middle East. The defendant is accused of facilitating the illegal entry of clandestines into the UK.