I recall speaking at the 2003 North East Fraud Forum conference that heralded the introduction of the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act. Since then confiscations have become commonplace and there is usually a money laundering aspect to every criminal defence case that I take on. … Read More
As you would expect this leads to some overblown assumptions being made, and estimates of criminal benefit bearing no relation to the level of actual criminal wrongdoing that has been proven. … Read More
I am often called upon to present an explanation of the legitimate international money transfer framework that works outside of the mainstream banking system, a framework that is frequently hijacked by the criminals. In some cases this can lead to a complete acquittal … Read More
Sometimes I think that the concept of Ponzi fraud underpins the global economy, with national borrowing and international credit trading reflecting many of the hallmarks of the crime – only on a massive and seemingly acceptable scale! … Read More
Over the years I have been instructed in many cases that have involved some form of money transmission business commonly referred to as Hawala and sometimes Hawala Banking. … Read More
In a case where assistance is being provided to the criminal regulators in a financial matter, the forensic role can often be likened to that of a public sector auditor … Read More
Normally, with financial crime, the value that an expert accountant adds is to provide a level of moderation to a very adversarial playing field. As an independent witness, there is nothing to be gained from the outcome to the case … Read More
When I examine a business that has dealt in substantial amounts of cash, it can be hard to know that the accounting records seen are complete and accurate. … Read More
In conclusion, while it is important for a forensic accountant to be known for a number of specialisms (for example in my case being a Hawala expert, or an MTIC expert etc.) in reality a good practitioner is able to approach any case on the basis that it will be unique. … Read More
As a forensic accountant who looks at a dozen or so different confiscation cases each year, I notice a number of common themes … Read More
