Business Crime & Fraud Solicitors

Sternberg Reed are proud to be one of the best specialist Business Crime & Fraud Solicitors in the country, with extensive experience of defending major and high profile prosecutions. This makes us the leading specialist Criminal Defence firm in East London and Essex, as ranked by both the Legal 500 and Chambers directories.

We have successfully defended individuals and businesses investigated by, amongst many others, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Fraud Prosecution Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Central Fraud Group and Serious Crime Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Department for Work and Pensions and various Trading Standard Departments nationwide.

With the resources needed to handle the largest and most complex cases, we are able to help clients from anywhere in England and Wales. We have an excellent track record of success and this is due to our thorough approach. We have been praised for “getting things done for you yesterday”!

It is important that you are represented from the outset by a team of specialist Business Crime & Fraud solicitors to provide you with the best chance of securing the most favourable outcome for you.

If you would like us to act for you please call our 24/7 helpline now on 01708 766155 or request a call back through the website.

Examples of our work include: –

MTIC, Carousel And Carbon Credit Fraud

Current Instruction – MTIC Carousel Fraud Operation Vaulter (VHCC)

Kingston Crown Court. Long-running multijurisdictional MTIC carousel and contra trade VAT fraud with money laundering allegations (over £20 million). 19 defendants – four trials listed between 2012 and 2014. Our company director client is the only defendant so far not convicted after a five month first trial.

See: http://www.tax-news.com/news/Hmrc_Swoops_On_Money_Laundering_And_Vat_Fraud_Gang_28334.html

Current Instruction – a suspect in Operation Wembley (Wine and Carbon Credit Fraud police investigation)

MTIC Operations Cruse, Dover and Sea Front (VHCC)

Multijurisdictional VAT carousel fraud and cheating the public revenue (£10 million). Our company director client was acquitted on Count 1 of the indictment after two trials lasting 7 months at Maidstone Crown Court.

Tax, Duty And Benefits Fraud

Current Instruction – acting for three investors in a Montpelier Tax Avoidance Scheme where HMRC have instituted criminal investigations in late 2012.

See: Financial Times 23^rd December 2012 – http://www.ft.com

R v KT – Operation Falbala – Chelmsford Crown Court – half a million pounds tax loss of New Tax Credits from the Revenue.

See: www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2909868/Gang-fleece-system-of-500k.html

R v DK – Croydon Crown Court – £4 million in benefits fraudulently obtained by immigration scam gang.

Trading Standards Department and Counterfeiting Frauds

R v RR – Operation Donets – Southwark Crown Court – “Britain’s biggest DVD piracy scam” (VHCC). Non custodial sentencing outcome for our client.

R v KM – Winchester Crown Court – £50 million counterfeit currency conspiracy case.

See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/575154.stm

Internet and Ebay Frauds

R v AC – Middlesex Crown Court – “Well planned and sophisticated fraud”.

3000 eBay shoppers defrauded. “Biggest fraud of its kind so far uncovered”.

See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1501728/Internet-trio-who-cheated-3000-eBay-shoppers-are-jailed.html

R v SW – Operation Damage – Chelmsford Crown Court. (VHCC).

Multi-defendant sophisticated conspiracy to release profits by selling stolen goods via eBay. Our client acquitted after legal submissions at the close of the Prosecution case.

Fuel Fraud

R v DW – Leeds Crown Court. (VHCC).

Operation Savanna – “One of the biggest fuel frauds in history”. Our client was acquitted by the jury.

See: http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/news/5034100.men_jailed_over_twomillion_fuel_scam

Mortgage Fraud 

R v JG – Southwark Crown Court.

£6.5 million 15 defendant mortgage fraud (VHCC). David acted for a chartered surveyor in regulatory and then criminal proceedings who received a non custodial sentencing disposal.

Wine Investment Fraud

R v SC – SFO Prosecution – (VHCC) wine investment fraud (over £1 million loss).

Targeted at professionals and individuals living in the USA. Our client received a non custodial sentence at the Crown Court.

See: http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/485464/four-wine-dealers-imprisoned-for-fraud

Money Laundering

R v NA and SS – Birmingham Crown Court – SFO Prosecution – major international multi-million pound long firm fraud involving complicated money laundering systems.

Advance Fee Frauds

R v JH – Norwich Crown Court – Suffolk Fraud squad (VHCC).

“Duped investors out of an estimated £1.3 million” in relation to a fictitious African airline company (Zircon Airways Corporation Limited based in Benin).

R v D – City of London Police investigation into alleged boiler room fraud activity – American and Canadian penny shares. No charges brought against our investigated client.

Company, Business And Insurance Fraud

R v PG – Martial arts organisation insurance fraud – over 60,000 members left uninsured.

R v RT – Chelmsford Crown Court – “highly sophisticated” £1 million + fraud in top of the range cars

R v DG – Basildon Crown Court – (VHCC) Insurance premium fraud case. Client a director of an insurance brokerage. Acquitted of all indictment counts.

Bank Official Fraud

Current Instruction: instructed in a multimillion pound City of London Police Investigation involving fraud by abuse by a senior official of a well-known high street bank.

Bribery, Corruption And Electoral Fraud Cases

R v X – Electoral fraud allegation – local council elections.

Police station investigation and interview by Special Branch police officers. No charges brought against our client.