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Fraud crime

Fraud crime

GQS Solicitors is recognised as one of the leading criminal defence firms in the country by the legal directories, Chambers and Partners UK and Legal 500.

Are you faced with an allegation of complex and serious fraud?

Anyone finding themselves under police investigation, when faced with the intimidating and stressful task of having to respond to a serious and complex criminal allegation, will be concerned with the following:

Firstly, be concerned with responding to the allegation, in a timely manner and in a way that puts their mind at ease and achieves the best possible outcome.

Secondly, be concerned with instructing a Firm of Solicitors with a proven record not only in dealing with complex and serious fraud cases, but in ensuring that all aspects of their client’s case are addressed at an early stage and addressed in a way that but their mind at ease.

Why instruct GQS Solicitors

From the outset, at GQS Solicitors we pride ourselves in ensuring that those accused of serious and complex fraud allegations are ready and suitably qualified to deal with all aspects of their case, including:

Knowing that GQS Solicitors understand the importance of empathy, sensitivity, and confidentiality

Obtaining and constantly ensuring that we at GQS Solicitors maintain a clear understanding of the allegation faced

Providing you with an open and honest assessment of the strength of the case against you

Providing you with the likely timescales

Making sure that you are aware of any action required by you to support any defence put forward

Ensuring that you are regularly updated as to the potential outcomes

Making you aware that a dedicated member of the GQS Solicitors Team will be allocated to deal personally with your case and your concerns

Informing you of the availability to you and us of Expert assistance in the form of Barristers, Forensic Accountants, Digital device forensics, cell site analysis, computers, mobile phones, IOT and Cloud data, Digital document analysis, Cybersecurity, Forensic Handwriting, Signature and Document analysis, medical reports.

Ensuring that GQS Solicitors undertake an in-depth review and discussions with you, about the potential questions you may face if required to attend a police interview under caution

Being conscious of the detrimental impact any conviction for fraud may have on you, your family, employees, and the company

Ensuring that the unexpected is always considered and always addressed

GQS Solicitors Team

The dedicated in-house Team at GQS Solicitors have extensive knowledge and experience in defending serious and complex Fraud allegations conducted by:

Crown Prosecution Service Specialist Fraud Division

CPS Organised Crime Division (IJOCD)

CPS Serious Economic Organised Crime and International Directorate (SEOCID)

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

National Crime Agency (NCA)

Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU)

City of London Police

Trading Standards

GQS Solicitors have experience in defending individuals and Directors caught up in complex fraud and tax evasion allegations involving such matters as:

Boiler Room Fraud

Cold calling to potential investors from bogus stockbrokers with the intention of forcing the potential investor into buying worthless shares.

Banking Fraud

The use of illegal means to obtain money, assets, or other property owned or held by a financial institution, or to obtain money from depositors by fraudulently posing as a bank or financial institution.

HMRC Fraud

Potential significant loss of taxes, duties, levies, and contributions for which HMRC is responsible. Individuals. Partnership, limited liability, companies, and trust.

False Accounting

Whereby an employee or company is involved in altering, destroying, or defacing any accounts, or presenting accounts from an individual or company so that they do not reflect their true value or financial activities of that company.

Money Laundering

The changing of large amounts of money obtained from crimes, having originated from a legitimate source.

Pro-active Defence of Complex and Serious Fraud Cases

The Team at GQS Solicitors understand the importance of working towards a successful outcome, for many this involves ensuring that proceedings against the accused are not commenced.

A successful defence of any serious and complex allegation of fraud, starts not at the point of charge but at the point of arrest and/or voluntary interview under caution. This may involve the defence conducting plea discussions with the Prosecution.

In cases involving allegations of serious and complex fraud, where an accused is legally represented, the Prosecutor may initiate plea discussions with any person who is being prosecuted or investigated with a view to prosecution.

It is important to note, that the Prosecutor will not initiate plea discussions with a defendant who is not legally represented.

What is Serious or Complex Fraud

As acknowledged by the Attorney Generals Guidelines, it is generally accepted that Fraud may be serious or complex if at least 2 of the following factors are present:

The amount obtained or intended to be obtained is alleged to exceed £500,000.

There is a significant international dimension.

The case requires specialised knowledge of financial, commercial, fiscal or regulatory matters such as the operation of markets, banking systems, trusts or tax regimes.

The case involves allegations of fraudulent activity against numerous victims.

The case involves an allegation of substantial and significant fraud on a public body.

The case is likely to be of widespread public concern.

The alleged misconduct endangered the economic well-being of the UK, for example by undermining confidence in financial markets.

Fraud Cases defended by GQS Solicitors

Operation Destin (Southwark Crown Court)

Currently acting for husband and wife for a £40 million time share fraud.

Operation Mickey (Nottingham Crown Court)

Acting for client for a £5million cash for crash case.

Operation Grapevine (Southwark Crown Court)

Acted for two clients charged with property investment fraud £13.7million

Operation Kraken (Birmingham Crown Court)

Acting for client charged with fraud.

Operation Cornflour (Southwark Crown Court)

Acted for a businessman charged with fraud and money laundering offences. The case concerned the selling of US based investment product involving the lending of money to pay day loan companies.

Operation Vouch (Southwark Crown Court)

Acted for client charged with fraud and money laundering.

Operation Gaucho (Central Criminal Court)

Acted for company director who was charged with Lloyd’s bank staff with fraud and money laundering.

R v FS & SS (Harrow Crown Court)

Successfully acted for two company directors charged with an accountant and 8 others to commit multi million pounds home office visa fraud.

R v ZH (Birmingham Crown Court)

Successfully acted for company director accused of tax fraud.

R v DJ (Nottingham Crown Court)

Acted for client charged with number of others with evading multi million pounds excise duty payable on tobacco.

R v Mt & Others (Ipswich Crown Court)

Successfully acted for lead defendant and a company director charged with conspiracy to defraud more than £1 million.

R v PA (Hull Crown Court) - Conspiracy to Defraud - Duracell Case

This was the famous Duracell name was used in an elaborate scam to sell international rights to a non-existent energy drink. A Bradford criminal solicitor was also involved in the trial who allegedly ‘nobbled’ witnesses and was filmed on camera handing over money to buy their silence. 5 firms based in Dubai, Hong Kong, Hungary and Iran paid exclusive international rights for the energy drinks which only existed in the form of dummy cans. The companies were victims of a carefully planned international advanced-fee fraud.

PA was acquitted after a re-trial. He was also awarded costs.

R v JC (Birmingham Crown Court) - Fraud by Abuse of Position

This case was investigated by City of London Police. JC was employed at AJ Ghallagher as a claims manager and made 112 fraudulent claims.

R v JO (Inner London Crown Court)

JO was charged with others with Money Laundering. This was a highly organised fraud utilising a compromised Gmail account of the Chief Investment Officer of a company based in London. Its alleged that his US$ bank account held with Credit Suisse in Zurich was compromised and instructions to the bank arranged for funds to UK bank accounts. The recipients then laundered the funds using multiple smaller transfers to an ever widening web of receivers. Financial enquiries revealed that 50 different UK bank accounts were utilised to disperse the proceeds of the fraud.

R v AM (Cardiff Crown Court)

The defendant was charged with 9 others with Assisting Unlawful Immigration to the United Kingdom. The defendants provided false employment documentation to Immigration Sponsors in order that they could deceive the Home Office as to their financial circumstances, so as to assist the unlawful entry into the UK of the non-European Nationals who required visas to enter the UK. The case centred around computer and mobile phone downloads.