Serious Fraud Solicitors

White Collar Fraud

Serious Fraud is the term used to cover a variety of allegations and is also referred to as White Collar Fraud or Commercial Fraud. White Collar Fraud is now an outdated expression but describes criminal offences that arise from the execution of a duty or office. It includes directors of companies, local government officers, bank officials and offences that involve embezzlement, deception and conspiracies to defraud.

There are many offences that fall under the serious fraud category but the ones most commonly encountered include: -

banking fraud
bribery
conspiracy to defraud
counterfeiting
credit card fraud
forgery
insider trading
investment schemes
insurance fraud
missing trader intra community fraud (VAT fraud)
money laundering
mortgage fraud

MJP solicitors specialise and excel in serious fraud cases. Mark Jones is the solicitor (partner) with experience in property law, partnership and company law as well as the law relating to cheques, negotiable instruments and intangible property. The firm has close associations with forensic accountants who act as crucial expert witnesses in relation to account and banking evidence. MJP solicitors can deal with huge volumes of computer material in house using bespoke software to analyse documents, e-mails and phone records.

Serious Fraud Investigation

Serious fraud offences can be investigated and prosecuted by a number of Government agencies that have different ranges of investigative powers including: -

Economic Crime Units of the Police
Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Fraud Prosecution Service (FPS)
Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
Serious Fraud Office (SFO)
Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)

Serious fraud investigations can be long (with some cases taking years), stressful and disruptive to business. It is therefore imperative that you get representation by a solicitor with specialist experience in serious fraud cases. Decisions made during the investigation period can prove vital to the final outcome.

MJP solicitors receives instructions from private individuals, trade bodies, legal expense insurers, companies as well referral from other firms of solicitors who do not deal with criminal defence law.

Serious Fraud Offences

Insurance Fraud

There are many varied types of insurance fraud, all of which involve making a false statement in support of a claim whether it be an accident, a loss of property to more complex claims in relation to commercial or health insurance. Most cases are called deceptions as the prosecution have to prove the defendant made a false statement that operated on the mind of the person deceived with a view to gain.

Any insurance companies have fraud units whose function is detect fraudulent claims and who operate to a set formula sometimes wrongly accusing claimants who are deterred from pursuing their claims. MJP solicitors regularly deal with these type of cases and know how these cases should be defended.

Dishonesty Offences

Criminal offences involving the taking or obtaining of property or money are called dishonesty offences because the prosecution have to prove that the defendant was acting 'dishonestly'. This can be more complicated than first appears.

MJP solicitors are approved to deal with these sort of offences under the classification of fraud cases. There are numerous types of offences of dishonesty and all require the prosecution to prove that the defendant was acting dishonestly beyond a reasonable doubt. Mortgage fraud, false statements and false accounting are all examples of these type of offence which MJP solicitors deals with regularly receiving instruction from trade bodies, advice bureaus and legal expense insurers who recognise the firms expertise in this area of Law.

Financial Services

Criminal cases involving financial services take many forms and often overlap with money laundering cases. There are numerous criminal offences associated with providing and using financial services whether it is the fraudulently use of credit cards, loans, hire purchase or the unauthorised provision of Consumer Credit or unlawful action in relation to debtors.

Mortgage fraud has decrease while credit was readily available but is likely to increase as credit providers try to justify their lending decisions to their superiors or funders.

MJP solicitors have decades of experience in defending these cases and proving that borrowers have not given wrong information that operated on the mind of the lender.

Our Services

MJP solicitors provide advice and representation on all serious fraud matters throughout England and Wales particularly in Liverpool (including The Wirral), London and the North West.

Specialist advice for any investigation into Serious Fraud can be given by one of our experienced serious fraud solicitors.

For free advice call now on 0333 011 0515 or use the contact us page.