Recent Cases

• Operation Cent [C.C.C.] 2013

  Anti-corruption unit worldwide investigation re: bomb detection units

  Jonathan Higgs QC leading Jonathan Polnay represented a defendant in the much publicised Old Bailey trial involving the worldwide sale of "fake" bomb detection devices. Instructed by Gary Bloxsome of Blackfords LLP.

  BBC news report here.

• R v. S, W and W [Wood Green] 2022

  £170k voodoo money cleaning scam

  Sam Willis prosecuted this case of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, where the defendants had convinced a vulnerable victim to give her life savings over to them to be 'cleansed' of voodoo. The evidence presented over an 8-day trial included hours of audio recordings, showing that the defendants never had any intention of returning the £170k cash.

• R v MK [Bristol Crown Court] 2022

  Large Scale Frauds

  Catherine Farrelly prosecuted male convicted of large-scale frauds.

  Press Report

• R v C & 7 Ors [Southwark Crown Court] 2021

  Immigration Fraud

  Rupert Kent was instructed by the CPS London Complex Casework Unit as leading junior in this eight-handed immigration fraud, arising from a Home Office investigation into the large-scale abuse of the UKBA’s Tier 2 (skilled workers) leave-to-remain visa system.

• R v RG & Ors [Southwark Crown Court] 2021

  Money laundering

  Led junior in a successful multi-handed prosecution involving a conspiracy to launder money through money service bureaus in West London.

View All Cases

Notable Cases

• Operation Cent [C.C.C.] 2013

  Anti-corruption unit worldwide investigation re: bomb detection units

  Jonathan Higgs QC leading Jonathan Polnay represented a defendant in the much publicised Old Bailey trial involving the worldwide sale of "fake" bomb detection devices. Instructed by Gary Bloxsome of Blackfords LLP.

  BBC news report here.

• In the matter of M [Southwark] 2018

  Manipulation of interbank benchmark rates

  Natasha Wong QC acted for former derivatives trader in regulatory proceedings brought by the FCA and in criminal proceedings involving the alleged dishonest manipulation of interbank benchmark rates. Instructed by Withers Worldwide/Sternberg Reed.

• Operation Lunar [Birmingham] 2017

  £Multi-Million HMRC Tax Avoidance Prosecution

  Sarah Forshaw QC and Robert Ellison acted in the defence of this defendant charged with 10 others of a multi-million pound  conspiracy to cheat HMRC. The fraud centred around multiple tax avoidance schemes. The charges were dismissed against our client following legal argument. The trial on the remaining defendants is listed for 6 months in 2019. Instructed by King and Spalding LLP.

• Operation Canon [Southwark] 2016

  £80m Ponzi Scheme

  Sarah Forshaw QC, instructed by the SFO, successfully prosecuted this £80m "Ponzi" scheme. The defendants purported to be a successful supplier of electrical goods such as light bulbs, air conditioning units, trouser presses and televisions to major hotel chains such as the Marriott and Hilton. They also falsely claimed to be the preferred supplier of the Olympic village, ahead of the 2012 Games.

  https://www.sfo.gov.uk/2016/05/24/ponzi-fraudsters-sentenced-total-21-years/

• HMRC v Peter Storrie [Southwark] 2011

  Former chief executive of Portsmouth City Football Club accused of cheating the public revenue

  Natasha Wong QC was junior trial counsel for acquitted former chief executive of Portsmouth City Football Club accused of cheating the public revenue. Instructed by Paul Martin & Co.