• 'For financial crime, the set assures first-class representation.' Chambers UK 2023
  • '‘Good clerks and strong chambers for business crime.‘ Legal 500 2023
  • '‘QEB has some fantastic junior counsel making it one of the strongest all round sets for financial crime.‘  Legal 500 2023

Corporate and Financial Crime News

Nicholas Griffin KC writes about modern slavery and supply chain transparency in the current issue of the I.C.C.L.R

The article,  The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the evolution of supply chain transparency in the UK (I.C.C.L.R. 2024, 35(1), 4-16), was written with Sian Lea, who is the Business and Human Rights Manager at Anti-Slavery...

The GIR Guide to Compliance - Edition 2 is published. Fallon Alexis co-authors chapter on UK Compliance Enforcement

The Guide to Compliance - Edition 2 , is published by GIR, with Fallon Alexis contributing to Part 1: Global Compliance Requirements and Enforcement. Fallon Alexis co-authored the chapter on UK Compliance Enforcement with Alison Pople of Cloth Fair...

QEB Hollis Whiteman Recognised by Chambers & Partners Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals

  Chambers and Partners released their rankings for Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals and QEB Hollis Whiteman and its members are acknowledged as leaders in the field. Chambers is ranked as Band 1 and nine members of Chambers ...

Trader Tom Hayes' case referred back to Court of Appeal

  In 2015, Tom Hayes was convicted of eight charges of conspiracy to defraud and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.  The crimes of which he was convicted arose from alleged manipulation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). ...

Rhys Meggy wins Financial Crime Junior of the Year at the Legal 500 Bar Awards

On Wednesday 5th October, Legal 500 hosted their standalone Bar Awards recognising barristers of all levels of seniority, clerks, other chambers professionals in London and across England, Scotland and Wales. We're delighted that...

William Boyce QC represents MOL Group who were awarded $235 million in damages in ICSID Arbitration

5 th of July 2022, Washington DC  The Republic of Croatia has lost an international arbitration case launched by MOL, the Hungarian national oil and gas company over Zagreb's failure to adhere to obligations under an agreement concerning the gas...

Cryptocurrency Firm Secures MLR 2017 Registration

Jason Mansell and Rhys Meggy instructed by Jill Lorimer and Anna Holmes at Kingsley Napley LLP acted for a cryptocurrency firm at an oral hearing before the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee to determine whether the Firm met the statutory...

Paul Hastings and QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers co-host a seminar on the overturned bribery convictions of ex-Unaoil executive, Ziad Akle. Adrian Darbishire QC and Mark Aldred are speakers.

Paul Hastings and QEB Hollis Whiteman co-hosted a joint in-person and live-streamed seminar on the overturned bribery convictions of ex-Unaoil executive, Ziad Akle. Jonathan Pickworth chaired the evening, and Adrian Darbishire QC, Joanna...

Mark Ellison QC and Kathryn Hughes act for the FRC in their case against KPMG

Mark Ellison QC and Kathryn Hughes act for the FRC in 'The Executive Counsel to the FRC v KPMG, Peter Noel Meehan, Alistair Wright, Richard William Kitchen, Adam David Bennett, Pratik Paw, Stuart Peter and James Smith (alongside ...

Unaoil Convictions Quashed, Adrian Darbishire QC and Mark Aldred represent the successful appellant, Ziad Akle (10.12.2021)

This morning, the Court of Appeal Criminal Division handed down its decision in the appeal of Ziad Akle, former Unaoil employee, against his convictions for offences of bribery. The Court quashed Mr Akle's convictions and refused the SFO's request...

Tom Phillips awarded Pegasus Scholarship to Uganda

Tom Phillips has recently commenced his placement as a Pegasus Scholar in Uganda having been awarded the prestigious scholarship earlier this year. Tom is currently based within the High Court of Uganda and is working under the supervision of the Chief...

QEB Hollis Whiteman Recognised by Chambers & Partners Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals

Chambers and Partners released their rankings for Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals today and QEB Hollis Whiteman and its members are acknowledged as leaders in the field. Chambers is ranked as Band 1 with sources describing us as "a set...

Claims Management Company Obtains Authorisation. Jason Mansell defends.

Jason Mansell was instructed by Jill Lorimer of Kingsley Napley LLP to advise a claims management company in respect of its application for authorisation. When instructed initially the FCA had invited the firm to withdraw its application or enter into a...

Webinar "The Serco Trial: What Went Wrong?" available to download

QEB Hollis Whiteman, Hickman & Rose and Peters & Peters hosted a webinar - The Serco Trial: What Went Wrong? In the webinar, the defence lawyers in the Serco prosecution considered the factors which led to the collapse of the case. Adrian...

Sir David Calvert Smith writes report on the influence that the United Arab Emirates has over International Policing Body, Interpol and ways forward for reform.

Sir David has written the report UNDUE INFLUENCE: THE UAE AND INTERPOL.  It was released today. Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir David Calvert-Smith was commissioned to write a report on the influence that the United Arab...

P2P lender obtains authorisation following a contested hearing before the RDC. Jason Mansell and Tom Broomfield act for the lender.

Jason Mansell and Tom Broomfield acted for a P2P lender whose application for authorisation had been refused by the FCA.  The initial decision was successfully reversed. Following a contested hearing before the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions...

The Lawyer & Deripaska v Chernukhin: William Boyce QC and Karen Robinson write about their recent experience of a private prosecution for Briefings in The Lawyer

William Boyce QC and Karen Robinson have written in The Lawyer about their recent experience of private prosecution in the case of  Deripaska v Chernukhin and R (on the application of Deripaska) v DPP [2020]. Bill and Karen consider the...

SFO enters into DPA with Airline Services Limited. Crispin Aylett QC and Rachna Gokani represent the SFO.

The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL). The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice,...

William Boyce QC Awarded Barrister of the Week by The Lawyer

We are delighted that The Lawyer Magazine has decided to award  William Boyce QC with Barrister of the Week. William Boyce QC's full interview can be accesssed here ....

QEB Hollis Whiteman Ranked Highly in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500

This month Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 published the results of their research on the legal community and the leaders in their fields.  Members of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers have 74 acknowledgements in Chambers & Partners across...

Jason Mansell acts for Wellesley & Co LTD

Jason Mansell is currently advising Wellesley & Co Limited on a direct access basis in respect of FCA regulatory issues arising out of the CVA filed on 24 September 2020 by Wellesley Finance Plc.   ...

SFO receives approval in principle for DPA with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd. Crispin Aylett QC leads the SFO team.

The SFO has today received approval in principle to enter into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd (G4S C&J), a wholly-owned subsidiary of G4S Plc. On Friday 17 July, the SFO will apply for final approval of...

Thurs 16th July

QEB Hollis Whiteman, in collaboration with SKRINE, will present a webinar on the practical insights needed to keep organisations compliant with s. 17A MACC Act. Malaysia’s corporate liability law is modelled on the UK Bribery Act 2010....

Confiscation success after 5 day hearing

In a judgment given on the 21st May by HHJ Spragg at Newcastle Crown Court, a confiscation order was made in the amount of only £8907.08. This was in circumstances where the prosecution had been seeking a confiscation order in the amount of almost...

French financial regulator drops insider dealing probe

Jason Mansell acted for a director of a FCA regulated company in a cross border insider dealing investigation involving the FCA and the French Financial Regulator , the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (“AMF”). Following an...

Barclays bankers acquitted after trial

William Boyce QC and Karen Robinson represented Richard Boath, former head of Barclays Financial Institutions Group EMEA, who has been unanimously acquitted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Boath faced allegations (in the alternative)...

Barclays bankers trial concludes. Edward Brown KC and Philip Stott prosecuted.

Edward Brown KC and Philip Stott prosecuted a five month trial against four former top Barclays executives for fraud charges linked to how the bank raised billions from Qatar in the financial crisis.  They were instructed by the Serious Fraud...

Barclays bankers trial concludes with acquittal. Edward Brown QC and Philip Stott prosecuted, William Boyce QC and Karen Robinson defended Richard Boath

Three former top Barclays executives have been cleared of fraud charges linked to how the bank raised billions from Qatar in the financial crisis.  The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had alleged the bank had given Qatari entities secret fees in return for...

Actor Johnny Depp's libel action against News Group Newspapers in court for pre-trial review

A pre-trial review took place yesterday before Mr Justice Nicol in the High Court in a libel action brought by Hollywood actor Johnny Depp against News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun. Mr Depp is suing over a newspaper article headed “How...

FCA case team abandon case after RDC oral hearing

Jason Mansell acted for a claims management company that had been issued with a Warning Notice refusing its authorisation. Had the FCA’s action been successful, hundreds of the Firm’s employees would have been made redundant. Following a...

Paul Raudnitz and Tom Doble secure suspended sentence in Bribery Act 2010 proceedings.

Paul Raudnitz and Tom Doble acted for Kevin Herbert, former Supply Chain Manager at Williams Hybrid Power (a subsidiary of the Williams Formula 1 Group), who faced charges of bribery contrary to the Bribery Act 2010.  The allegations concerned the...

Rhys Meggy defends in multinational money laundering case

Rhys Meggy acted for Michael Kinane, formerly Ravindera Sarathchandra, originally said to be the lynchpin in a $7.8 multinational money laundering conspiracy.  Further to a $14.8million account diversion fraud perpetrated against a US pharmaceutical...

Ben FitzGerald and Katherine Buckle act in Airbus Deferred Prosecution Agreement (2020)

On 31 January 2020, Dame Victoria Sharp PQBD gave final public approval to a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (‘DPA’) between the Serious Fraud Office and Airbus SE, relating to historic failures to prevent bribery and corruption offences in...

Anne Whyte QC successfully defends solicitor against allegations of theft made by former employer

Anne Whyte QC leading Amos Waldman successfully defends solicitor against allegations of theft made by former employer. Nathan Horsley was unanimously acquitted following a 3 week trial, at Newcastle Crown Court. Mr Horsley was alleged to have...

Paul Raudnitz appointed Queen's Counsel

We are delighted to announce that Paul Raudnitz has been appointed Queen’s Counsel in the 2019-2020 competition. Paul will receive his title at the ceremony at Westminster Hall on 16th March, presided over by the Lord Chancellor. Paul has a fantastic...

Anne Whyte QC successfully defends HSE prosecution

Anne Whyte QC successfully defends HSE prosecution after a trial at Worcester Crown Court. On 3 December 2019, a jury acquitted Company ‘S’, one of the largest employers in Herefordshire, of an allegation under section 2 of the Health and Safety...

QEB Hollis Whiteman shortlisted for Crime Set of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards

We are delighted to feature on the shortlist for Chambers & Partners' 2019 Bar Awards. The Chambers Bar Awards conclude Chambers & Partners’ year-long research, conducted by a dedicated team of over 200 researchers conducting thousands of...

QEB Hollis Whiteman ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Chambers & Partners’ High Net Worth publication ranks the top lawyers and law firms for international private wealth. Its 2019 edition launched on Thursday 11 th June and marks the first time that Chambers HNW has featured barristers who...

Alexandra Felix invited to speak at Clyde & Co's Tenth Annual General Counsel, Compliance and Risk Forum

Clyde & Co’s annual general counsel forum took place today in the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, Threadneedle Street, London. Alexandra was a part of the panel, chaired by Clyde & Co’s Charles Kuhn, discussing “Knock on the door:...

Nicholas Griffin QC and Kyan Pucks reconsider Impact Statements for Business

“Impact Statements for Business”, the corporate equivalent of “Victim Personal Statements” (impact statements made by victims of crime) have been around for a while. But they have now been reconsidered by Nicholas Griffin QC and...

Nicholas Corsellis appointed Queen's Counsel

Nicholas will receive his title at Westminster Hall on 11th March. 

Jason Mansell acting for former CEO of Sonali Bank (UK)

Mr Prodhan has referred a Decision Notice issued by the FCA to the Upper Tribunal.

Nadesh Karu secures acquittal at half time on behalf of the first defendant in multi-handed money laundering case

Nadesh represented the first defendant of four (previously five) at trial at Isleworth Crown Court. The Defendants were charged with acquiring criminal property, having been found with approximately £30,000 in cash between them. The prosecution case...

Charges dismissed in Barclays fraud case

Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays PLC and Barclays Bank PLC, together with Richard Lissack QC of Fountain Court Chambers, on a successful application before Mr Justice Jay to dismiss all charges against the corporate defendants, in a...

EURIBOR Trial Commences

Sean Larkin QC and Philip McGhee are representing defendants in the EURIBOR trial.

FCA abandons insider dealing investigation

Jason Mansell acted for a senior employee of a PLC who on multiple occasions and in breach of internal policy traded in his employers' securities at times when the FCA suspected he might have been in possession of price sensitive information.,...

Ben Fitzgerald prosecutes in Sophie Lionnet death case

Ben FitzGerald appears for the prosecution against two defendants admitted perverting the course of justice by attempting to burn the body of Sophie Lionnet.

William Boyce QC and Jason Mansell Act for Deutsche Bank Trader in FCA LIBOR Probe

William Boyce QC and Jason Mansell acted for Guillaume Adolph in respect of the FCA’s investigation as to whether he had been knowingly concerned in a breach by Deutsche Bank of Principle 5 (market conduct).

Rhys Meggy successful in judicial review of warrants obtained by HMRC during tax evasion investigation

In R (Hart and others) v HMRC [2017] EWHC 3091 (Admin) the four claimants were successful in their claim for judicial review of search warrants obtained by HMRC at Blackfriars Crown Court in respect of an alleged tax evasion scheme. After a two-day hearing,...

Crispin Aylett QC - Chambers UK Crime Silk of the Year 2017

Congratulations to QEB Hollis Whiteman's Crispin Aylett who was awarded Crime Silk of the Year last night at the Chambers UK Annual Bar Awards dinner at the Park Lane Hilton....

Crispin Aylett QC features as The Times Lawyer of the Week

QEB Hollis Whiteman member Crispin Aylett QC is featured today as The Times Lawyer of the Week. Crispin was in the news recently as he acted for the Serious Fraud Office in the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement under which ICBC Standard...

Polly Dyer acts for FCA to secure Operation Cotton confiscation orders

Polly Dyer acted as junior counsel for the FCA in the confiscation hearings against the last two defendants convicted as a result of Operation Cotton one of the FCA's largest investigations. Confiscation orders have now been made against all of the eight...

QEB News: Ex Black Rock portfolio manager imprisoned.

Following his guilty plea in November to two counts of insider trading, Mark Lyttleton was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.

Rhys Meggy successfully defends regulated sector money laundering

QEB Hollis Whiteman member Rhys Meggy represented SS, the sales manager of an FCA-regulated payment services provider accused of abusing her access to client onboarding systems to launder part of the the proceeds of £1.5million in cash derived from...

Rhys Meggy appears at the Court of Appeal in tax evasion

Rhys Meggy barrister at QEB Hollis Whiteman represented DC, a renovator of luxury properties, in his successful appeal against sentence at the Court of Appeal. His sentence was reduced from 3 to 2 years' imprisonment. At Southwark Crown Court DC had...

Polly Dyer represents FCA in insider dealing trial

QEB Hollis Whiteman member Polly Dyer, led by Andrew Marshall of 18 Red Lion Court, represented the Financial Conduct Authority at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of a Logica analyst and his neighbour for insider dealing. On day three of the trial,...

Jason Mansell comments on former Black Rock manager conviction

Jason Mansell, barrister at QEB Hollis Whiteman, commented on the conviction of trader Mark Lyttleton for two counts of insider dealing in a prosecution brought by the FCA. Lyttleton will be sentenced on 21st December. Read the Bloomberg case report and...

Paul Wakerley represents care home manager charged in connection with the death of a patient

QEB HW member Paul Wakerley represents the manager of a residential care home who is prosecuted for failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others after a patient fell down a stairway at the home and died from his injuries. Read media...

David Spens QC represents senior partner of commercial City solicitors firm in successful appeal against conviction of money laundering in the Court of Appeal (R v D)

David Spens QC successfully appeals the money laundering conviction of the senior partner of a small firm of commercial solicitors accused of laundering US$1.2m.

Zoe Johnson QC and Paul Raudnitz instructed in landmark Deferred Prosecution Agreement case - "SFO v XYZ Ltd"

Zoe Johnson QC and Paul Raudnitz have today concluded a landmark hearing before Sir Brian Leveson, the President of the Queen's Bench Division, in which the Court approved what is only the second Deferred Prosecution Agreement in England and Wales. The...

Prosecution offer no evidence after complainant's evidence discredited in fraud and money laundering trial

QEB Hollis Whiteman member Ben FitzGerald represented a former Chief Operating Officer and fellow member Polly Dyer represented her partner, who were charged with fraud and money laundering respectively. The case concerned the payment of recruitment fees by...

Jason Mansell Comments on Operation Tabernula verdict

Jason Mansell comments on Operation Tabernula verdicts. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-09/ex-deutsche-bank-broker-among-two-guilty-in-insider-trading-case ...

Rhys Meggy defends engineering multinational

Rhys Meggy represented a well-known electrical engineering multinational prosecuted by the Environment Agency in relation to environmental and health and safety failings. The company pleaded guilty after a three year investigation. The allegations arose from...

Three members of QEB Hollis Whiteman act for the prosecution in the trial of a sham marriage arranger and benefits fraudster.

Paul Raudnitz, Kerry Broome and Caoimhe Daly prosecuted a six strong gang of benefits fraudsters led by Amankou Ndoli, the frauds involved falsely obtaining NI numbers and arranging sham marriages to facilitate the fraud. The gang were sentenced to 17 years...

Polly Dyer appointed chair of Female Fraud Forum

QEB Hollis Whiteman member Polly Dyer has been appointed chair of the Female Fraud Forum, an association aimed at solicitors, barristers and accountants who work in financial regulation and the criminal and civil fraud sector. Its purpose is to foster,...

Rachna Gokani co-authors new guide Bribery: Law and Practice

A new work on bribery, Bribery: Law and Practice is published by Oxford University Press in March 2016. QEB Hollis Whiteman co-authored the book with leading expert Monty Raphael QC, Special Counsel at solicitors Peters and Peters. The book provides a...

QEB Hollis Whiteman members involved in Operation Tabernula trial

Three members of QEB Hollis Whiteman were directly involved in what was called the most high-profile trial of insider dealing prosecuted by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to date.

Crispin Aylett QC of QEB Hollis Whiteman acts for SFO in first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) case in UK

Crispin Aylett QC of QEB Hollis Whiteman acted for the Serious Fraud Office today, 30 November, at the Royal Courts of Justice, in the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) case in the UK.   Lord Justice Leveson’s judgment in the case, which...

Rhys Meggy interviewed by BBC, highlights legal charity's concerns about the lack of opportunities in law

Rhys Meggy, a founding trustee of legal charity LEDLET, tells the BBC of the charity’s concern that schools are not doing enough to help dispel pupils' misconceptions about access to careers in the law. The charity aims to encourage young people...