White Collar Crime

Criminal Defence

Eldwick Law’s white collar crime team have been consistently ranked as leading criminal defence lawyers in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 for a number of years. We have significant experience of dealing with complex, cross-border criminal investigations and proceedings.

We have defended individuals and company directors prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office, Crown Prosecution Service, HMRC, Competition and Markets Authority, and the National Crime Agency (formerly Serious and Organised Crime Agency). We are particularly adept at identifying issues in criminal investigations at an early stage, and disposing of a case pre-charge.

We have experience of defending individuals before the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court, as well as in High Court proceedings ancillary to a criminal investigation and proceedings, such as challenging search warrants by judicial review, applying to set aside Civil Recovery Orders and Unexplained Wealth Orders.

Interpol, Extradition and MLA

Eldwick Law has significant experience of advising and representing individuals facing extradition proceedings, Interpol warrants (including Red Notices), and other matters of mutual legal assistance, such as letters of request.

We have successfully resisted extradition requests, and been successful in Interpol deletion applications to the CCF. We also deal with applications to Interpol for disclosure and other Notice requests. We have advised in extradition , and Interpol warrant requests from Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and several European and African countries.

Representative matters:

• Acted for the COO of a collapsed Texan oil company alleged to have deceived the company’s board of directors into entering into a USD 300 million transaction, in a prosecution brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
• Acted for a Ukrainian national in disclosure applications to the CCF relating to concerns regarding an Interpol arrest warrant
• Successfully applied to delete an Interpol Red Notice issued on the basis of a request from the United Arab Emirates
• Acted for a Russian oligarch in applications for disclosure to the CCF relating to an Interpol Red Notice issued on behalf of the Russian Federation
• Acted for the lead defendants in a prosecution brought by HM Revenue & Customs – which formed part of a series of prosecutions known as Operation Maplin – in response to allegations of fraudulent evasion of duty, VAT fraud and money laundering arising out of the sale of diesel fuel in the UK.
• Acted for the lead defendant, a Chartered Accountant, in a prosecution brought by the National Crime Agency in relation to a sophisticated immigration fraud, which involved allegations of money laundering.
• Acted for a company director in a criminal prosecution – under the Operation Spitz regime – brought by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulations Authority (MHRA) arising out of the supply of unauthorised medicinal products.
• Represented a Dubai-based property developer in a multi-jurisdictional fraud and money laundering prosecution, including contesting Account Freezing and Forfeiture proceedings.
• Successfully represented company directors accused of involvement in the illegal importation of tobacco products, fraudulent evasion of excise duty (estimated £5m annually), and money laundering. Contested Account Freezing Orders and Forfeiture proceedings (Operation Fajita).
• Advising a client in respect of a Crypto Wallet Freezing Order (CWFO), arising from alleged regulatory breaches identified by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).