Serious Fraud Investigations

In general, the police and regulatory bodies have the power to investigate, gather evidence, and prosecute offences of money laundering. They also prosecute non-compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) usually investigate large-scale and high-value money laundering. However, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who regulates the financial services sector, also supervises businesses’ compliance with Money Laundering Regulations 2007. The police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) also investigate money laundering offences.

The police and the regulators can impose financial penalties to punish corporate businesses convicted of failure to prevent money laundering. They can also impose professional disciplinary action on you or your business, such as losing FCA authorisation or suspending you from a certain professional registration.

If you’re convicted of a serious money laundering offence, you could be sentenced to serve time in prison. The maximum prison sentence for someone convicted of money laundering is 14 years.

If you’re under investigation for money laundering or you’re worried about an impending investigation, our specialist money laundering solicitors could get you the best outcome possible.

1. Dawn Raid Notices – Search warrants executed at homes or business premises
2. Section 2 Notices (SFO) – Compulsory requests for documents or interviews
3. Production Orders – Requiring banks or organisations to provide records
4. Restraint Orders – Freezing assets pending investigation
5. Interview Under Caution – Conducted under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)
6. Charging Decisions – Confirming prosecution action.

• Criminal investigation, prosecution and imprisonment
• Confiscation orders and asset forfeiture
• Director disqualification
• Reputational damage
• Business interruption due to asset freezes
• Inclusion on fraud monitoring systems.

Our clients often fund their own case with us, but some clients can’t afford to. Insurance policies can help fund your case and you can also use legal aid funding if you’re financially eligible. We can advise you about what’s available to you in your initial meeting with us.

We’ll always discuss the likely costs of your case at the start and we’ll keep you updated regularly throughout the case. We always aim to keep costs as low as possible.