Our specialist fraud and business crime solicitors represent businesses and individuals who are faced with allegations of fraud in either an individual or corporate role.

Fraud allegations or charges are incredibly stressful and detrimental. Acting quickly to get the best, experienced legal advice is essential to ensure the correct steps are.

Allegations of Fraud

We are experts in defending various types of fraud cases, for example fraudulent statements, conspiracy to defraud, abuse of position, allegations of bribery and corruption and proceeds of crime.

While every fraud or business crime case is pursued differently on the facts, there are 5 broad stages:

• Investigation
• court proceedings;
• trial preparation;
• trial
• appeal

Our Corporate Protection Team are here to robustly defend you and your company against any allegations of fraudulent activity. If you have been approached by the authorities or suspect they may be in contact soon, then you should seek legal advice urgently.

Fraud defence lawyers specialist experience

Our fraud lawyers specialise in the following areas of fraud:

• Bribery & Corruption Defence
• Boiler Room Operations
• Carousel Fraud
• Conspiracy to Defraud
• Financial Conduct Authority Investigations
• Investment Fraud
• Investigations from the National Crime Agency (NCA)
• Money Laundering
• Mortgage Fraud
• MTIC Fraud
• Serious Fraud (and investigations by the Serious Fraud Office)
• Tax Fraud
• VAT Fraud

Our lawyers have the specialist knowledge and experienced to offer some level of reassurance and will take all available steps to protect your reputation as investigations or proceedings remain ongoing and afterwards.

Internal fraud investigations

Not every business crime allegation is immediately passed to the police. Many businesses prefer to keep things private and before considering alerting the police want to investigate a matter internally.

If your employer starts an internal investigation against you it’s imperative you understand your rights and how to protect your position as there are many situations where an employer could seek to lure you into a trap by suggesting there is a deal to be done. There are employment law rights which will apply notwithstanding any serious allegations made against you.

We have a great deal of experience of dealing with serious financial allegations made against clients and internal disciplinary processes where financial misconduct or fraud is alleged.

Freezing Orders

Where significant financial wrongdoing and missing, diverted or stolen money is alleged there is a high possibility of either a civil or criminal freezing order. If your assets have been frozen there are procedures available to challenge this. The process and evidence supporting an order to freeze your assets should be carefully checked with an expert legal eye and may be capable of being challenged.

Connections to the experts you will need

Financial crime is almost always complex. Whether you face an internal investigations, private prosecution or criminal investigation or charges, whoever is pursuing you will almost certainly use experts, whether financial experts, cyber, IT or computer experts and others. To defend yourself you are also likely to need experts.

Given the importance of expert evidence in fraud cases, having the right expert is extremely important. This is another reason to ensure you have a specialist fraud defence lawyer. Only experienced and specialist lawyers will have used fraud experts previously to ensure you have the best people on your side.

We deal with financial, IT and data experts and others on  fraud defence  regularly and have done for many years. We will ensure you have the best team as well as the best lawyers to defend your interests.

Contact our fraud lawyers

To speak to our Fraud Defence team, please call us on 0208 951 6989 or alternatively contact David Roy, Partner & Head of Corporate Protection via email on [email protected].

Axiom Stone can assist wherever you are based and are happy to meet at a location and time to suit you. We also have offices located in both London and Birmingham.