We’re here around the clock to help you take the first step toward resolving your legal issue. Reach out anytime for a free initial consultation.
Let us know a convenient time and we’ll get in touch—no waiting on hold.
Fraud is serious and can be life-changing. Whether you are an individual, business or organisation facing allegations, you need lawyers to protect you and your reputation.
At Lex Vindico Group, our fraud solicitors specialise in defending clients against all types of fraud, from complex corporate fraud to benefit fraud. Our law firm provides specialist advice and extensive knowledge that maximises your chances for a favourable outcome right from the start.
Our lawyers work closely with experts who advise on fraudulent activity for government organisations such as HMRC, DWP and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Our expert team understands the depth required with serious fraud allegations. Unlike other offences, financial crime can disqualify you from trusted positions in companies, such as directorships and other executive positions. Fraud allegations can disqualify you from many regulated professions such as Healthcare, Finance and Law.
If you are under investigation for any fraud, where it is alleged that you have made a personal gain or exposed another to a loss or a risk of loss, then you must act FAST. In such matters, the prosecution is notoriously known to apply to freeze bank accounts and assets to:
Lex Vindico Group advises that you act swiftly in defending yourself when you have an inkling that you MAY be under investigation. The way fraud matters are investigated is different to how other offences may be investigated. With fraud, once you are made aware of the investigation (by interview, arrest, or a raid), that usually means that the investigators already possess sufficient evidence, which they intend to rely upon in prosecuting you. This makes it difficult for you to mount a proactive defence.
Our fraud lawyers at Lex Vindico Group are well equipped with the prosecution's tactics from having privately prosecuted fraud matters over the years. We have developed a combative defence mechanism to help our clients regain control by providing a crisis management service early on. We offer active defence to financial crime and fraud allegations and solutions to those who think they may be under investigation for fraud and wish to act first. As such, we could prevent fraud litigation, confiscating assets under POCA, and applications for freezing orders.
The bottom line is, if you suspect, even slightly, that there may be an investigation into you or your company, it is paramount to act with care immediately. The following situations may be a tell-tale sign for you to seek advice early:
Contact us for specialist representation and a confidential consultation now.
Fraud is a criminal offence under the Fraud Act 2006 in England and Wales. Prosecuting a fraud offence can be very complex and serious. It involves acts of deception and dishonesty for personal gain or to cause loss to another. The Act defines three main ways in which fraud can occur:
Fraud isn’t just individual acts; it’s often complex and involves large sums of money. Allegations of fraud can damage reputations, disrupt lives, and result in serious legal penalties. These include imprisonment, fines, and asset confiscation. Due to our lawyers' proven track record, we are often instructed by individuals, directors, and even companies.
For those who are charged with fraud offences and later convicted in court, confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) follow at Court. The prosecution's financial investigator assesses the level of benefit derived from any criminal activity. This is then compared to the available/recoverable assets and money in your possession. These proceedings are civil in nature, albeit are heard in the Crown Courts. In confiscation proceedings, the burden of proof is switched to the civil standard for you to prove, on the balance of probabilities, that the money or assets are not derived from criminal activity and/or whether there is a third-party interest/claim to the said assets/money in question.
Following dialogue between the defence and prosecution, a figure is usually agreed upon before a final hearing for the proceedings. If a figure cannot be agreed upon, the matter is listed before the Court for a contested POCA final hearing, where evidence is heard from both sides to determine the level of benefit/money owed in compensation to the state. The prosecution then seeks a confiscation order with the beneficial figure and recoverable amount. The Court then grants the order for compensation to the state, with either the agreed amount or the amount of benefit it determines to be true following litigation. Such proceedings are lengthy and draining and require specialist advice from lawyers to deal with them. Confiscation orders can last a lifetime.
It is in your best interests to regain control of your situation today to avoid a criminal charge, court proceedings, and the following confiscation proceedings. Engage with us for crisis management or pre-charge representation—that is, legal cover early on, designed to avoid criminal charges altogether! Do not let the matter escalate any further before you act.
Our fraud defence solicitors have experience in all types of fraud cases. Here are the areas in which we have specialised expertise:
Organisations such as the police, the NCA, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), and HMRC conduct fraud investigations. These can be long, intrusive, and stressful. We work closely with our clients to protect their rights at every stage. We provide representation during interviews under caution and advocacy at Court, where required.
Our team is experienced in criminal proceedings and knows how important it is to build a strong defence early on. We aim to proactively protect our clients’ rights and interests, especially concerning fraud investigations. If you are in a position of trust or have directorship of a company, any investigation into you could be overbearing and career-threatening. Therefore, it is in your interest to be proactive in seeking out proactive legal representation for yourself. We can provide that proactive legal assistance, which differentiates us from traditional law firms that provide representation on a 'reactive' basis, when you are charged and in Court. Our proven 'proactive' methods of defence can prevent your matter from escalating to Court by preventing charges altogether.
Bribery is offering, giving, or receiving an advantage to influence someone’s behaviour. Under the Bribery Act 2010, individuals and businesses can be prosecuted for bribery and corruption. We have experience defending individuals and businesses accused of bribery in domestic and international cases.
This offence occurs when someone provides false or misleading information to gain an advantage. Examples include lying or misrepresenting on applications, forging documents or providing false financial statements. We defend these allegations by challenging the evidence and intent.
False accounting, a criminal offence of intentionally falsifying or submitting false financial records, is also within our expertise. We have experience in serious fraud and white-collar crime, defending individuals, large organisations, and smaller businesses. We work with you to establish how you find yourself in a legal mess and navigate the most straightforward way out early.
Conspiracy to defraud is a complex offence in which two or more people act together to deceive or harm another. These cases require a detailed analysis of evidence and intent, and our solicitors work with experts to build a strong defence at an initial stage. Proactivity from our experienced solicitors could not only prevent charges but could also protect against civil recovery. Conspiracies are more straightforward to prove in Court, as it is an agreement between two or more individuals to commit a criminal offence. The prosecuting authority built a strand of evidence pointing towards guilt towards the agreement. Our lawyers work to defuse any threats and to clear any misunderstandings early on to prevent escalation.
Authorities can freeze or forfeit assets they believe are connected to fraud or the proceeds of criminal conduct. Additionally, if the authorities suspect that assets will be used for criminal gain, they can seek to freeze and forfeit those assets. These orders can be devastating for businesses and individuals. We help clients challenge these orders to protect their property and assets before the prosecuting authority runs with their narrative.
Following recent changes in law, clients who are investigated for any fraudulent behaviour must act fast. If the prosecutorial net closes in and their assets/accounts remain frozen, it would be challenging to release frozen monies to fund a private legal team to defend themselves. Therefore, our specialist lawyers recommend that you get ahead of the curve and plot your suit of armour before the prosecution's specialist team gathers evidence against you as the clock ticks away. Our experience helps us with foresight of what may arise in some instances, which helps you prepare for any eventuality, but the key is to act fast.
Tax evasion is deliberately underreporting income, over-claiming expenses, or taking other actions to avoid paying government taxes. HMRC takes tax evasion and tax fraud seriously, and the penalties can be severe. We have experience in HMRC investigations and defending against criminal charges, as well as civil recovery processes such as forfeiture applications.
We work with former HMRC officers and police detectives, who provide our clients with reviews, specialist advice, and assistance as private financial investigators. This benefits our clients as it helps us understand the methodology used, anticipate the prosecution's next move, and prepare the defence thoroughly. We leave nothing to chance. The sooner we can prepare your defence, the better the outcome will be. That is our guarantee.
Common examples of clients who have sought our expert advice, following recent regulatory changes, demanding scrutiny, include the following:-
The regulatory changes are in response to concerns that individuals are evading tax, laundering money, and under-declaring income. HMRC has created specific teams to deal with such issues arising out of Adult Content Platforms, Influencers on Social Media, and Cryptocurrency/Digital assets.
Also known as carousel fraud, MTIC fraud involves exploiting VAT rules in cross-border trade. These cases are complex and can involve large sums of money and individuals. We provide expert legal support for businesses accused of this type of fraud.
In some cases, these types of investigations can start through civil proceedings and transform into criminal allegations. Therefore, one should take a fine-toothed comb when dealing with complex nature tax fraud to ensure that any miscalculations identified by the defence's forensic expert are accounted for, rectified, and paid to the revenue before any criminal investigation.
Extensive forensic experience is required to be able to trace every transaction back to every client whilst providing due diligence and KYC for buyers and sellers during the trade period. HMRC research suggests that individual directors of companies usually engage in contrived trading whilst adding absolutely no value to the transactions. It is, therefore, imperative to keep a thorough record of the company's transactional history to account for any profits derived from transactions. Over the years, our lawyers have been involved in various MTIC fraud cases, which they have successfully dealt with, avoiding criminal investigation.
Benefit fraud occurs when an individual claims a benefit to which they are not entitled. It could also involve failing to disclose changes in circumstances or providing false information, which allows the individual to continue to benefit in some way.
These offences are usually encapsulated in fraud by making false representations. Our solicitors advise and represent individuals accused of benefit fraud to ensure fair treatment during the regulator's investigation and to prevent the matter from escalating to criminal behaviour. We can often avoid prosecution on these matters, provided that we can quantify possible retribution following a forensic analysis of your accounts. Clients often want to avoid a conviction at all costs.
Cyber fraud includes crimes such as phishing, identity theft and online scams. As the digital world evolves, so does the fraud. We stay ahead of the curve to provide legal defence against cyber allegations.
IP crime includes counterfeiting and copyright infringement. These offences can be financially and reputationally damaging to businesses and individuals. We offer bespoke support for defending against allegations and pursuing legal action as a victim.
Over the years, our lawyers have advised celebrity influencers/social media stars on their rights and any possible breaches. We understand that any investigation can be damaging towards your reputation, let alone that investigation graduating to criminal or civil liability through the law courts. If you are seeking advice that focuses on more than mere legal representation but also understands the nuances of professional and personal reputation management, then look no further. We provide discreet advice and representation whilst working with global media companies to manage reputation during a crisis, if required.
Money laundering is concealing the source of illegally obtained money. It is often linked to fraud and is prosecuted under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). We have experience in defending clients against money laundering allegations of all sorts. We also provide full support in criminal cases to protect our clients’ interests throughout the investigation and in court.
When an individual is charged with any fraud or financial crime, if it is alleged that there was a degree of benefit of crime, then a charge of 'money laundering' would be added automatically to aid the recovery of such proceeds of criminal behaviour. That does not mean it cannot be defended against, or even prevented, with pre-charge engagement or crisis management. The key to avoiding an invasive investigation into your life and bank accounts is to engage specialist lawyers early on. Lawyers focusing on proactive representation can prevent the 'invisible handcuffs' from being placed on you (and your business accounts) through an investigation of money laundering.
Recently, our lawyers have worked on cases involving money laundering through various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. With crypto wallets, there has recently been a discovery that allows crypto accounts to be frozen, together with any capital contained within. At Lex Vindico Group, we work closely with the financial experts who discovered the freezing of crypto wallets. Therefore, we can assist you if there is a crypto/cryptocurrency twist. Act now to avoid being cornered by the prosecution later.
Unexplained wealth orders (UWOs) require individuals to explain the source of their wealth. Failure to do so can lead to confiscation proceedings and frozen accounts. If you are living beyond your means and cannot explain your wealth through legitimate sources of income/wealth, the prosecution can seek forfeiture of any assets/accounts.
We help clients all over the world to navigate the UWO process and protect their assets. At Lex Vindico Group, we apply detailed analysis to assess the legal basis of the Unexplained Wealth Order. As such, we can identify potential grounds for challenge. Oftentimes, the authorities commit procedural errors or lack jurisdiction. We would either challenge the UWO or comply with its requirements by obtaining your instructions and drafting written representations to safeguard your assets and rights worldwide. The sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can put ourselves on record - the sooner the prosecution will stop digging deeper into your life and your privacy.
Serious fraud investigations are complex and long-running, involving multiple agencies and a deep dive into financial records and transactions. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is the lead agency for investigating and prosecuting serious fraud in the UK. The SFO does not work in isolation; it works closely with other agencies, such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), to tackle serious fraud. Fraud investigations can often take years to conclude.
A serious fraud investigation can be overwhelming. It involves various techniques, including forensic accounting, surveillance in person and via communications, and detailed interviews with witnesses and suspects. The SFO has broad powers, including the ability to issue search warrants, seize assets and freeze bank accounts. These measures are designed to prevent asset dissipation and to gather further evidence.
For individuals and businesses under investigation, the stakes are high. The complexity and scope of these investigations require the expertise of specialist fraud lawyers. Legal representation is key to ensuring your rights are protected throughout the process and to navigating the legal landscape.
Our team at Lex Vindico Group are experienced in such investigations and offers bespoke defence strategies for each case. We would assess where you should cooperate with investigators and their requests and where you should challenge their requests (based on legalities). We will always act in your best interests and find a way out that would impact you the least, irrespective of what stage your case is at.
Early intervention can help mitigate risks and shape the outcome. We work with private financial investigators who were previously employed to conduct work for the prosecuting authorities and, therefore, can stay ahead in defending you, giving you and your family peace of mind whilst under investigation. Our job is entirely focussed on bringing the case to a swift close, as soon as possible, limiting any form of damage to your life and reputation.
If you are accused of fraud, act fast. Here’s what to do:
Acting early can make a significant difference in your case by preventing criminal proceedings from being commenced against you.
Our team successfully defended clients in fraud cases, particularly pre-charge and even during trials. We have experience in dealing with organisations such as the SFO, HMRC and the National Crime Agency (NCA). We offer full legal support to individuals and businesses accused of all types of Frauds including insider trading/insider dealing, fraud by false representation, fraud by abuse of position and many more, where it is alleged that you have a financial gain to yourself, or caused another to suffer a loss, or a risk of loss.
We know every case is different. Our solicitors, with extensive experience, develop bespoke defence strategies to discredit evidence, disprove intent and protect your rights. We have experience in fraud prosecution, so we can offer robust legal defence for clients facing charges to debunk any prosecution assertion early. We work with barristers who specialise in fraud cases, from which our clients can benefit.
If your assets are frozen, we will work to challenge these orders to minimise disruption to your finances and lifestyle. Whilst clients would be unaware, expert solicitors understand that proactivity early on could have acted as a preventative measure to the prosecution intervention (freezing order). Either way, act now to regain control of your matter and life. It is not too late to challenge any ongoing orders before forfeiture.
We help businesses manage fraud allegations, conduct internal investigations, and comply with regulatory requirements. Our law firm promotes regulatory reform procedures and can, therefore, prevent your matter from escalating to Court.
We work with individual experts who formerly worked for HMRC and the police. By conducting internal investigations, we can recommend policies to meet regulatory requirements while ensuring proactive representation that saves your reputation and company.
Fraud carries serious penalties:
Fraud cases can cause significant reputational damage and social consequences, so it’s important to have an expert legal defence to manage such complex cases. Cases could paint you with a brush of dishonesty unless you are proactive. As such, being labelled dishonest ruins an individual's credibility and societal and economic standing. A conviction for fraud can also prevent you from running a company as a director or even having a bank account in the future.
Our legal team has many years of experience in complex fraud cases and has achieved results for clients in both defending and prosecuting cases, in pre-charge matters, and in criminal proceedings (trials at the Magistrates' Court and Crown Court before a jury).
We are Fraud and Financial Crime specialists with in-depth knowledge of the Fraud Act, Bribery Act, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and other relevant legislation. In fact, one specific private barrister/King's Counsel that is closely linked to Lex Vindico Group is the CPS go-to barrister, where fraud prosecutions are concerned, especially within the crypto world. With that said, there are only a handful of barristers that specialise in the complexities of the crypto world, and Lex Vindico Group are well equipped to handle such cases with precision and foresight, especially since the recent discovery of freezing digital finances and cryptocurrency. Our founding director, namely Akram Mula. LLM has an exclusive relationship with private financial investigators that have managed the breakthrough to freeze around £98 million in a crypto wallet. Similar specialist financial investigators can be used to assist your case.
We put you first with clear communication, transparency and cost-effective solutions. By addressing concerns fast, we can prevent your case from going to Court. If your case is already at Court, our proactive defence strategies would be to prepare a robust defence and submit written representations to have your case dismissed before trial. Help us help you win.
Don’t wait to get expert advice if you are accused of fraud. Fraud offences are investigated covertly! You may be under investigation right now. Our team of fraud defence specialists are available 24/7 to help and advise.
Contact us today to speak confidentially to one of our experts. Start protecting your rights and reputation today. Get expert advice from a law firm with a proven track record in proactive representation.
If you are accused of fraud or feel that you may be, then contact our serious crime solicitors today for a free consultation.
Let us guide and support you.
Get in touch with our expert team to discuss your case. Simply fill in the form below, and we’ll get back to you promptly.
We’re proud to be recognised by the UK’s leading legal and professional bodies. With decades of experience across criminal defence, regulatory law, and litigation, our clients trust our lawyers to deliver results with discretion, precision, and integrity.
Your next step could make all the difference. Speak to our expert legal team now and protect your future.