Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

  • May 12, 2025

    Wells Fargo Whistleblower Claims Redundancy Was A Sham

    A former compliance officer at Wells Fargo asked the Employment Tribunal on Monday to order the bank to reinstate him, based on what he described as clear evidence that he was dismissed after he blew the whistle on alleged market abuse.

  • May 12, 2025

    ICBC Bank Sued Over €795K Fraudulent Transfer By Hacker

    A company has sued ICBC Standard Bank for allegedly transferring €795,000 ($894,000) out of its account on the instructions of an alleged hacker impersonating its director, saying that the lender is liable to refund it in full.

  • May 12, 2025

    Bulgarians Get 50 Years For Spying In UK For Russia

    Six Bulgarians were sentenced to a combined total of 50 years in prison on Monday for taking part in a U.K.-based spy ring that conducted surveillance operations on high-profile targets across Europe on behalf of Russia.

  • May 12, 2025

    Investment Biz Boss Sues Refinitiv Over Incorrect KYC Info

    The chief executive of an investment business has sued data and analytics giant Refinitiv for allegedly holding inaccurate information on its "know-your-client" database that incorrectly stated that her company was associated with a sanctioned individual.

  • May 09, 2025

    Ex-Meinl Bank CEO Extradited To US On $170M Odebrecht Rap

    The former CEO of Austrian lender Meinl Bank AG was extradited from the U.K. and pled not guilty Friday to money laundering charges, stemming from allegations that he helped Odebrecht SA hide $170 million in funds used to bribe officials around the world and defraud the Brazilian government. 

  • May 09, 2025

    Brokerage Risk Pro Loses Early Battle In Whistleblowing Case

    An employment judge has rejected a compliance manager's bid for interim relief in a row with her former employer because he did not consider it likely that a tribunal will decide she was fired from the brokerage for making protected disclosures.

  • May 09, 2025

    Businessman Says $43M Debt Claim Is Plot To Seize Shares

    A businessman can intervene in a 194 million Romanian leu ($43 million) debt claim he alleges is part of a fraudulent scheme to acquire his shares in a scrap-metal trading company for free, an appeals court has ruled.

  • May 09, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen a subsidiary of State Street Corp. sue British sports betting giant Entain, Manolete Partners and HSBC tackle action just weeks after signing a £17 million revolving credit facility agreement, and a commercial fraud claim launched by EFG Bank against Mirabaud & CIE.

  • May 09, 2025

    Dyson Loses Bid To Take Forced Labor Claim To UK Top Court

    Dyson will fight claims in England that it did nothing about allegations of forced labor at Malaysian factories making components for the appliance manufacturer after the U.K.'s highest court refused it permission to challenge jurisdiction in the case any further.

  • May 09, 2025

    Nigeria Can Argue £15M Award Was Obtained By Fraud

    Nigeria can attempt to set aside a $15 million award in favor of a businessman who was the target of an undercover operation by the country's state security, after a London judge dismissed his bid to strike the case out.

  • May 09, 2025

    Brothers Plead Guilty To FCA Insider Dealing Charges

    Two brothers admitted on Friday to using inside information to profit from dealing in shares over four years, following a prosecution brought at a criminal court in London by the Financial Conduct Authority, the watchdog said.

  • May 09, 2025

    EU Fund Managers Call To Simplify EU Sustainability Package

    Europe's fund managers on Friday backed the European Union's bid to streamline the bloc's sustainability regulations, but warned "excessive" reductions in reporting requirements could limit investors' access to crucial environmental, social, and governance data.

  • May 09, 2025

    'Bargain Hunt' Art Expert Pleads Guilty To Terrorist Financing

    An art gallery founder and reality TV art expert pleaded guilty to terrorist financing offenses at a London criminal court Friday.

  • May 08, 2025

    Court Upholds CMA's £99M Thyroid Drug Price Fines

    A U.K. appellate court has not only upheld a finding that drug company Advanz excessively inflated the price of its thyroid tablets for the National Health Service but also reimposed fines against the company's former owner that a lower tribunal had cut by almost a third.

  • May 08, 2025

    'Bargain Hunt' Art Dealer Charged Under Terror Financing Law

    Police charged an art dealer who featured in a hit BBC show under laws against financing terrorism on Thursday, making him the first person ever to face charges in the U.K. for allegedly failing to make obligatory regulatory disclosures.

  • May 08, 2025

    UK Watchdog Fines Fuel Trader For Ignoring Info Request

    The U.K. government body responsible for implementing and enforcing financial sanctions said Thursday that it has fined a British shipping company for ignoring a request to provide information relating to a "large and complex investigation" involving Russia's largest shipping company.

  • May 08, 2025

    Crypto Traders Seek To Revive Part Of £10B Binance Claim

    A group of investors asked the Court of Appeal on Thursday to revive their claims against Binance on the basis that its delisting of a cryptocurrency caused them damage, saying a lower tribunal was wrong to toss out its "loss of chance" argument.

  • May 08, 2025

    Bulgarian Who Spied For Russia Was Not 'Anti-West'

    The ringleader of a group of people who spied on behalf of Russia is not an "anti-Western ideologue" but merely somebody who is willing to work for whoever hires him, his barrister told a sentencing hearing on Thursday.

  • May 08, 2025

    Tribunal Clears CPS In Legal Adviser's Discrimination Case

    The Crown Prosecution Service did not discriminate against a former legal adviser by giving him formal warnings about his attendance after multiple spells of sickness absence, a tribunal has ruled.

  • May 08, 2025

    FRC Bans Former Finance Head Of Bankrupt Local Council

    The audit watchdog said Thursday it has banned the former chief financial officer of a bankrupt English local authority from the accounting profession for five years for overseeing a risky investment strategy worth £1 billion ($1.3 billion).

  • May 07, 2025

    Sentencing Begins For Bulgarians Who Spied For Russia

    The leader of a group of Bulgarians who spied for Russia would always try to "service" the needs and requests of his "paymasters" at the Kremlin, a prosecutor said on the first day of the spies' sentencing Wednesday.

  • May 07, 2025

    Finance Trade Body Warns AI Can Amplify Misconduct Risk

    A U.K. trade body for financial firms warned a group of members of Parliament at a hearing Wednesday that artificial intelligence amplifies the risk that banks could screen out unwanted customers without anyone knowing, in defiance of the Consumer Duty.

  • May 07, 2025

    UK Supreme Court Boosts Creditor Protection In Fraud Cases

    Britain's highest court has handed administrators more power to pursue businesses that turn a blind eye to fraud, with a ruling on Wednesday that will bolster protection for creditors and could raise the stakes for companies flying too close to the wind, lawyers say.

  • May 07, 2025

    Consultant Disputes Golf Retailer's VAT Invoice Claim

    A former consultant to a U.K. golf retailer on Wednesday disputed the company's allegations in London court that he overcharged it nearly $1 million and failed to pay value-added tax to HM Revenue & Customs.

  • May 07, 2025

    UK To Make It Easier To Fire Police In Misconduct Cases

    Police officers found guilty of gross misconduct are likely to be sacked under regulations presented to Parliament on Wednesday.

Expert Analysis

  • How CMA's AI Strategic Update Addresses Industry Risks

    Author Photo

    The Competition and Markets Authority’s recent artificial intelligence strategic update, setting out the regulator’s understanding of AI risks and how it intends to address them, is indicative of its focus on incumbent technology organizations, although future political developments in the U.K. may also shape the CMA's approach, say Christopher Foo and Carol Slattery at Ropes & Gray.

  • Labour's 'Fresh Approach' To Tackling Financial Crime

    Author Photo

    Given newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s background as a criminal defense lawyer and director of public prosecutions, an administration with strong views on financial crime can be expected, and revenue raising and proceeds of crime recovery are likely to be at the forefront, says Matthew Cowie at Rahman Ravelli.

  • What UK Digital Markets Act Will Mean For Competition Law

    Author Photo

    The new Digital Markets Act’s reforms will strengthen the Competition and Markets Authority's investigatory and enforcement powers across its full remit of merger control and antitrust investigations, representing a seismic shift in the U.K. competition and consumer law landscape, say lawyers at Travers Smith.

  • Examining The EU Sanctions Directive Approach To Breaches

    Author Photo

    In criminalizing sanctions violations and harmonizing the rules on breaches, a new European Union directive will bring significant change and likely increase enforcement risks across the EU, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • What New UK Labour Gov't Is Planning For Financial Services

    Author Photo

    Following the Labour Party’s U.K. election win on July 4, the new government has already announced its key missions for economic growth, green investment and tax reform, so affected Financial Conduct Authority-regulated entities should be prepared for change and on the lookout for details, says Rachael Healey at RPC.

  • Companies Trading In The EU Should Heed Mondelēz Ruling

    Author Photo

    The European Commission’s recent €337.5 million fine of Mondelēz is the latest decision targeting restrictions on EU cross-border trade, and serves as a warning to companies active in the region to check their contracts and practices for illegal restraints, and to perform audits to ensure compliance, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • Why Reperforming Loan Securitization In UK And EU May Rise

    Author Photo

    The recently published new U.K. securitization rules will largely bring the U.K.’s nonperforming loan regime in line with the European Union, and together with the success of EU and U.K. banks in reducing loan ratios, reperforming securitizations may feature more prominently in relevant markets going forward, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

  • How Extension Of EU License Exemption Affects Subsidiaries

    Author Photo

    Since many European Union entities with a presence in Russia will soon need to obtain a license to continue providing certain services and software to Russian subsidiaries, organizations and legal professionals should prepare in advance and assess their companies' supply chain compliance with EU sanctions, say lawyers at McDermott.

  • What Legal Cannabis In Germany Means For Employers

    Author Photo

    Since April 1, the consumption and limited possession of cannabis has been permitted in Germany, so employers should take a few steps to maintain safe and productive workplaces while respecting the new legal landscape, says Sven Lombard at Simmons & Simmons.

  • What French Watchdog Ruling Means For M&A Landscape

    Author Photo

    Although ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence, the French competition authority’s recent post-closing review of several nonreportable mergers is a landmark case that highlights the increased complexity of such transactions, and is further testament to the European competition authorities’ willingness to expand their toolkit to address below-threshold M&As, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • New Directors' Code Of Conduct May Serve As Useful Guide

    Author Photo

    Although the Institute of Directors’ current proposal for a voluntary code of conduct is strongly supported by its members, it must be balanced against the statutory requirement for directors to promote their company’s success, and the risk of claims by shareholders if their decisions are influenced by wider social considerations, says Matthew Watson at RPC.

  • Comparing EU, Southeast Asia Approaches To AI Regulation

    Author Photo

    Although Southeast Asian countries often adopt statutory frameworks similar to those in the European Union, the region’s more business-friendly approach to artificial intelligence regulation may be a setback to the EU’s push for coordination with its AI Act and a barrier to establishing a global standard, say Anne-Gabrielle Haie at Steptoe and Nop Chitranukroh at Tilleke & Gibbins.

  • Exploring The EU's Draft Standards On Crypto Authorization

    Author Photo

    The European Securities and Markets Authority’s recently published draft standards aim to promote fair competition and a safer environment for crypto providers and investors, detailing precisely the information to be provided to national authorities in charge of screening the acquisitions of a qualifying holding, says Mathieu de Korvin at Norton Rose.

  • Assessing Exposure Under UK Foreign Influence Scheme

    Author Photo

    While the proposed Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, designed to ensure transparency around foreign state-directed activities, may be delayed by the snap general election, organizations should prepare for compliance, including addressing concerns about the extent of unintended consequences arising from the scheme's scope, say Gavin Costelloe and Gillian Sproul at Greenberg Traurig.

  • How FCA Guidance Aligns With Global Cyberattack Measures

    Author Photo

    The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s recent guidance on preparing for cyberattacks aligns with the global move by financial regulators to focus on operational resilience, highlighting the importance of proactive strategies and robust resilience frameworks to mitigate disruptions, while observing a disappointing level of engagement by the industry, say Alix Prentice and Grace Ncube at Cadwalader.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here