Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

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Traders' Win Casts Doubt On Plans For No-Jury Fraud Trials

Repeated failure by the courts to ensure that two former traders imprisoned for rigging benchmark interest rates were given a fair trial has fueled criticism of radical reforms to roll back jury trials in complex fraud cases to ease pressure on the judicial system.

Hayes' Victory Leaves SFO Rate Rigging Convictions In Doubt

The decision by the U.K. Supreme Court to quash the convictions of two former traders accused of manipulating interest rates has opened the door for other bankers to challenge the fairness of their trials, lawyers say.

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Senior Managers Regime Revamp Risks Letting In Bad Apples

The City watchdog's planned overhaul of its senior managers regime risks allowing people with records of misconduct to slip into financial firms because of the relaxation of rules on references and criminal checks, according to lawyers.

Staley Tribunal Decision Could Fuel Challenges To FCA Fines

A landmark tribunal ruling that upheld the Financial Conduct Authority's ban of ex-Barclays CEO James "Jes" Staley from banking — but slashed his fine — could ultimately lead other executives with back-loaded pay packages to fight the watchdog's decisions, lawyers say.

July 28, 2025
Fraud Claims 'Smaller Slice' As Crypto Litigation Booms

As litigation involving cryptocurrency significantly increases, fraud cases represent a lesser share of the total number of crypto disputes, according to a report published Monday by CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.
July 28, 2025
Ex-Telecom Manager Can't Shield ID In Whistleblowing Claim

A manager who was made redundant by the U.K. branch of a Chinese state-owned telecommunications operator can't remain anonymous as he brings whistleblowing claims, an employment tribunal has ruled.
July 28, 2025
EU Says Temu Failing To Prevent Sale Of Illegal Products

Temu has failed to properly assess the risks of illegal products being sold on its marketplace, including non-compliant baby toys and small electronics, according to preliminary findings from the European Commission published Monday.
July 28, 2025
Citigroup Defends $16M VTB Russian Securities Sale Losses

Citigroup has denied claims that it caused a VTB Bank subsidiary to lose almost $16 million by taking an irrational approach to liquidating securities after the Russian lender defaulted on a demand for collateral amid market volatility following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
July 28, 2025
UK Man Denies Making Crypto Transfers To Russian Militias

A British-Russian national who allegedly funded pro-Russian militia groups in occupied eastern Ukraine through bitcoin payments on Monday denied breaching the U.K. sanctions regime.
July 28, 2025
Investment Boss Told To Pay Back £170K From £37M Fraud

A director of an ethical investment scheme imprisoned for defrauding investors out of £37 million ($50 million) was ordered by a court on Monday to pay back £170,000 or have two years added to his sentence.
July 28, 2025
Allianz Life Hack Attack Exposes Most Clients' Info

Insurance giant Allianz has said that hackers have stolen person data from most of its 1.4 million customers in America after cybercriminals hacked into a third-party system used by its U.S. subsidiary.
July 28, 2025
European Reinsurer Fined £1.79M Over Post-Brexit Failings

The Bank of England's regulatory arm said on Monday that it has fined the London branch of a Luxembourg-based reinsurer £1.79 million ($2.4 million) for failing to have adequate controls in place during Britain's exit from the European Union.
July 27, 2025
Suspected Trading Scam 'Mastermind' Can't Block Extradition

An Israeli accused of being the "mastermind" behind call centers that allegedly scammed investors out of €14 million ($16 million) by posing as trading platform employees lost a bid on Friday to block his extradition to Germany from the U.K.
July 25, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen the owner of a £6 million ($8 million) mansion once rented by Adele sue real estate consultants Strutt & Parker, Romanian-Australian mining investor Vasile Frank Timis bring a claim against reputation and privacy firm Schillings, and a Chinese businessman bring a legal action against his former lawyer over an alleged £12.5 million mortgage fraud.
July 25, 2025
FCA Fines Former H2O Exec £1M And Bars Him From Industry

The U.K.'s financial watchdog said Friday that it has banned a former senior executive of asset manager H2O from the financial industry and fined him £1.05 million ($1.41 million) for misleading the regulator about risky investments linked to financier Lars Windhorst.
July 25, 2025
Car Makers Must Reveal Internal Docs In Dieselgate Trial

Motorists and campaigners won their bid Friday to force car manufacturers to disclose documents and pleadings in the upcoming Dieselgate trial, with the High Court ruling that the public interest in understanding the emissions case outweighs any commercial sensitivity.
July 25, 2025
Bahraini Bank Worker Loses Whistleblowing Case Over Delay

A short-lived employee of a Bahraini bank has lost his bid to sue his former employer, as a London tribunal ruled he waited too long to bring his claim he was fired for whistleblowing.
July 25, 2025
Odey's Libel Claim And Sex Assault Case To Have Joint Trial

Hedge fund manager Crispin Odey's £79 million ($106.2 million) libel claim against the Financial Times will be tried jointly with claims by five women accusing him of sexual abuse, a London judge ruled Friday.
July 25, 2025
AXA Wins £675M Missold PPI Payout Fight With Santander

AXA has won a £675 million ($907 million) battle with Santander to recover payouts for wrongly sold payment protection insurance as a London court ruled that the Spanish banking giant was liable for "systemic failings" in historical sales of the policy.
July 25, 2025
MoD Official Named As New Companies House CEO

Senior Ministry of Defence official Andy King has been appointed as chief executive of Britain's official business registrar as it seeks to toughen its stance on financial crime.
July 24, 2025
SportPesa Chair Claims Stake Dilution Was Deliberate Fraud

The former chair of online betting company SportPesa was the victim of an unlawful scheme to dilute his valuable stake in the company, his lawyer said in closing submissions at a London trial on Thursday.
July 24, 2025
Four Traders Plan Appeals After Justices Quash Convictions

Four City traders convicted of manipulating benchmark interest rates plan to file new challenges against their verdicts after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that two former bankers in similar cases failed to receive a fair trial.
July 24, 2025
Fintech Execs Deny Misleading Bank In £4M Fraud Claim

Defunct fintech startup BrickVest Ltd. and its co-founders have denied allegations brought by a German specialist property lender in a £4.2 million ($5.7 million) London claim that they hid additional investment in the business before its collapse.
July 24, 2025
Amazon To Face £4B Dual Class Actions In UK

The U.K.'s competition court gave the green light on Thursday to two class actions against Amazon, totaling £4 billion ($5.4 billion), alleging that the e-commerce giant abused its dominant market position to the detriment of retailers and consumers.
July 24, 2025
German Court Convicts 4th In €195M VAT Fraud Scheme

A fourth person has been convicted in connection with a €195 million ($229.3 million) value-added tax fraud scheme, this time in a German regional court, the European Public Prosecutor's Office said.
July 24, 2025
Audit Watchdog Imposed £14.5M In Fines Last Year

Britain's audit watchdog said Thursday it levied £14.5 million ($19.6 million) in fines across a 12-month period ending in March that also saw it wrap the majority of its investigations in a more timely way than ever before.
July 24, 2025
NCA Seizes £17M Tied To Suspected Illegal China Trades

The National Crime Agency revealed Thursday that a Chinese national has agreed to forfeit money and seven London properties worth £16.7 million ($22.6 million) which the agency suspects are the proceeds of criminal securities trading in China.
July 24, 2025
Taylor Vinters Fined For AML Breach Before Mishcon Deal

The solicitors' watchdog said Thursday that it has fined Taylor Vinters LLP £172,900 ($234,100) for anti-money laundering violations that predate its 2023 merger with Mishcon de Reya LLP.
July 24, 2025
SFO Charges 6 With Fraud Over £75M Pension Investments

The Serious Fraud Office charged six individuals with fraud and money laundering on Thursday over alleged misrepresentations made to investors who poured £75 million ($101 million) from their pensions into self-storage units.

Editor's Picks

6 Bombshell Moments From Staley's Bid To Clear His Name

Jes Staley has suffered a bruising week as he testified about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, culminating in an admission by the former banker that he had sex with a member of the disgraced financier's staff.
5 Questions For Spencer West Partner Karl Foster

The Financial Conduct Authority's approach to enforcement and consumer protection has come up against government economic growth priorities and resistance from the sector to its proposals to "name and shame" companies early on during regulatory probes.
UK Russia Sanctions Face Landmark Test At Supreme Court

The U.K.'s sanctions regime faces a major test on Wednesday as billionaire Eugene Shvidler seeks to have his financial restrictions cast off — the first case to challenge Russian sanctions that has reached the country's highest court.

Expert Analysis

UK FDI Enforcement Continues, But Changes Are On The Way

With the U.K. government’s recent foreign direct investment investigation into Maple Armor’s increased shareholding in Fireblitz demonstrating the National Security and Investment Act’s wide scope, an announcement this month that certain transactions will no longer require mandatory notification represents a welcome simplification, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.
What Cos. Must Note From EU's Delivery Hero-Glovo Ruling

The European Commission’s recent landmark decision in Delivery Hero-Glovo, sanctioning companies for the first time over a stand-alone no-poach cartel agreement, underscores the potential antitrust risks of horizontal cross-ownership between competitors, say lawyers at McDermott.
What To Expect As FCA Preps To Launch AI Testing Service

The Financial Conduct Authority’s forthcoming artificial intelligence live testing service will provide participants with access to appropriate regulatory expertise, but to gauge the tool’s potential utility, it is important to understand how it fits in with what the regulator is already doing, says Omar Salem at Fox Williams.
New Interpol Silver Notice Could Be Tool For Justice Or Abuse

Interpol has issued dozens of Silver Notices to trace and recover assets linked to criminal activity since January, and though the tool may disrupt organized crime and terrorist financing, attorneys must protect against the potential for corrupt misuse, say attorneys at Clark Hill and Arktouros.
Weighing PE Transaction Risks As EU AI Act Rolls Out

As the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act becomes effective in stages, legal practitioners involved in private equity deals should consider the transactional risks resulting from this measure, including penalties, extraterritorial reach and target-firm applicability, say lawyers at Covington.
Preparing For Literacy Compliance Under EU AI Act

The European Commission's recent Q&A on artificial intelligence literacy is designed to assist with European Union AI Act compliance, but since the law does not require a one-size-fits-all approach, organizations need to consider specific use cases and focus on implementing staff training, says Edward Machin at Ropes & Gray.
EU Banking Watchdog Regulations Herald New AML Era

The European Banking Authority’s forthcoming anti-money laundering package will set a framework for compliance across the European Union by redefining the rules of engagement between financial institutions and supervisors, setting a new standard for transparency and accountability, say lawyers at A&O Shearman.
UK-EU Competition Agreement Signals Rebuilding Of Ties

The European Commission’s recent adoption of proposals to sign the European Union-U.K. competition agreement is a welcome first step toward better policy and enforcement convergence, providing a clearer legal framework for businesses to manage regulatory risk, says Charles Whiddington at Steptoe.
What To Expect As UK, US Gov'ts Develop Stablecoin Policies

While the U.K. and U.S. governments’ policies both suggest that fiat-backed stablecoins can improve efficiency and safety in payments systems, a perception that crypto-assets remain high risk means consumers are unlikely to use them in significant volume anytime soon, say lawyers at Cadwalader.
Decoding Arbitral Disputes: UK Injunctions Across Borders

A recent High Court of Justice decision allowing JPMorgan Chase Bank to block VTB Bank from bringing suit in a Russian court provides a seminal reflection on the power of English courts to issue antisuit injunctions when global banking disputes increasingly straddle multiple jurisdictions, says Josep Galvez of 4-5 Gray's Inn.
7 Reforms To Note Under New UK Data Protection Law

Although the recently enacted Data Use Act’s changes to U.K. law are subtle, its reforms go beyond data protection, including changes that redefine the scope of scientific research and an update that clarifies what constitutes automated decision-making, says James Castro-Edwards at Arnold & Porter.
How Regulators Want Online Platforms To Fight Finance Fraud

Recent statements from the International Organization of Securities Commissions and the European Securities and Markets Authority make clear that online platform providers are expected to adopt proactive measures to prevent the promotion of unauthorized financial services and related misconduct, say lawyers at Taylor Wessing.
FCA Notes Industry Criticism But Keeps Transparency Focus

The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently updated enforcement guide finally gives up the "naming and shaming" public interest test, demonstrating that the regulator has recognized the industry's serious concerns while maintaining less contentious aspects of its proposals to improve transparency in investigations, say lawyers at Irwin Mitchell.
Anticipating A Shift In CMA Merger Control Enforcement

As the Competition and Markets Authority outlines plans to put the U.K. government's growth objectives into action, the changes may well pave the way for a more permissive outlook for review of mergers and acquisitions in the U.K., say lawyers at A&O Shearman.
Court Backing Of FCA Pensions Ruling Sends Key Message

The Upper Tribunal’s recent upholding of the Financial Conduct Authority's decisions against CFP Management directors serves as a judicial endorsement of the regulator’s approach to defined benefit transfers, underscoring that where the advisory model is fundamentally flawed, the consequences for those in control can be severe, say lawyers at RPC.