Fraud Defence Solicitors London
Prosecutions for fraud offences have increased since the introduction of the Fraud Act 2006. Fraud covers a wide variety of offences including mortgage fraud, VAT fraud, credit card fraud, share dealing and false accounting.
This means that property investors and professionals such as surveyors, mortgage brokers, financial advisors, accountants and solicitors can be targeted in criminal proceedings. Many of these individuals will never have been charged with a criminal offence before and so it is vital to preserve their good name, as well as help them through what can be a highly complicated process, often involving a number of different defendants as well as thousands of documents.
A fraud investigation can be hugely disruptive to a business and can result in financial penalties and even prison sentences. Business reputations can be severely affected by fraud allegations. Those facing fraud allegations require expert legal assistance to provide advice and guidance through the process. Our specialist lawyers can advise individuals and businesses throughout the process to obtain the best possible outcome.
What is Fraud?
Fraud occurs when someone uses false pretences in order to induce another person to provide goods or money because of the false pretence. It is differentiated from theft since the person providing the goods or money does so willingly.
These cases can be extremely challenging as they rely on complicated financial and documentary evidence that can span over many years.
Fraud cases can cover a range of situations including:
Bribery and corruption
Boiler Room frauds
Electoral fraud
Financial Conduct Authority Investigations
Money Laundering
Mortgage fraud
Serious Fraud Office investigations
Investment fraud
MTIC and Carousel Fraud
Insider dealing
Fraud can be divided into the following categories:
Individual fraud
Individual fraud which is the most common type. This is a fraud where an individual is targeted.
Corporate fraud
Corporate fraud is fraud that is committed against a business. This can either be a general fraud that is targeting all businesses or fraud that is sector specific.
Online fraud
Online fraud, which is increasingly becoming an issue with fraudsters targeting their victims via the internet.
Advanced fee fraud
Advanced fee fraud where payment is made upfront for something that is never supplied.
Public sector fraud
Public sector fraud occurs where a local authority is given false information by someone to gain financial benefit that they should not receive, for example, tax or benefit fraud.
Supporting the commission of fraud
Actions supporting the commission of fraudulent activities can also result in prosecution, for example, identity theft, computer hacking or corruption.
Mandate fraud
Mandate fraud where the fraudsters pose as an organisation that someone pays money to in order to redirect the money into their own accounts. This can be done over the phone, by letter or over the internet.
Boiler room fraud
Boiler room fraud where high net worth individuals are specifically targeted for bogus share investment opportunities.
MTIC or Carousel fraud
MTIC or Carousel fraud where HMRC are fraudulently deprived of VAT.
Why choose JSP Law?
Our Directors and senior solicitors have dealt with a number of lengthy trails dealing with serious allegations of fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. These cases require specialist knowledge and a forensic analysis of the prosecution evidence.
We have a specialist team with experience of dealing with cases across the country. Our solicitors work across offices in Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire. We are also able to represent you if you live elsewhere as we can see at home, in prison or police custody if necessary.
We can advise you under the Legal Aid scheme (this is generally not available except for the most serious offences) but if public funding is not available we will quote you a competitive price for our work.