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Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

FCA Tests Global Reach In HTX Crypto-Exchange Litigation

The landmark legal case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority against HTX, which the regulator says has promoted crypto-asset services to U.K. consumers without authorization, will be a litmus test, establishing whether it has the teeth for enforcement against overseas crypto-exchanges, lawyers say.

Online documents float above a keyboard as a person types in a business technology illustration.

AI Tools Won't Mask Disclosure Failures, Lawyers Warn

New intelligence tools will save prosecutors valuable time and money in white-collar criminal cases, but the technology will also usher in an era of increasingly complex and technical fights over disclosure, lawyers say.

FCA May Be Forced To Set Lower Fines After Appeal Setbacks

The Financial Conduct Authority might be forced to rethink how it justifies the size of its fines after being forced to cut penalties after referral to the Upper Tribunal, raising questions about its ability to make enforcement decisions stick, legal experts caution.

Disclosure Haunts The SFO, Posing Challenge For Next Chief

The next director of the Serious Fraud Office must tackle the systemic disclosure failings that haunt its cases or face recurring questions about the agency's credibility after the latest collapse of a prosecution over problems with its handling of evidence, lawyers say.

February 26, 2026
Biz Owner Gets £2M Tax Evasion Penalty Tossed As Unfair

A company owner isn't liable for a nearly £2 million ($2.7 million) civil tax evasion penalty because HM Revenue & Customs didn't raise its claims of dishonesty by the owner in a prior proceeding it relied on later, a London court said Thursday.
February 26, 2026
Ex-Exec. In $2B Denmark Tax Scheme Hid Assets, Court Told

A Florida man involved in a $2 billion Danish tax refund scheme fraudulently transferred millions of dollars to a U.S. company to prevent the Danish government from seizing those assets, Denmark's tax agency told a New Jersey federal court.
February 26, 2026
Russian Insurance Giant Loses Bid To Overturn EU Sanctions

A European Union court has rejected AlfaStrakhovanie AO's bid to be removed from the bloc's sanction list, ruling that the insurer provided "material" support to the Russian government in its war efforts in Ukraine.
February 26, 2026
Broker Denies Tricking Investors Over ESMA Risk Before IPO

Broker Plus500 Ltd. has denied in litigation with a group of institutional investors that it withheld information before going public, saying it was clear that impending European rules designed to protect retail investors could hurt the online trading platform's business.
February 26, 2026
SFO Insider Tapped To Lead Agency As Ephgrave Exits

The attorney general tapped on Thursday a senior official at the Serious Fraud Office to run the white-collar agency as it searches for a permanent replacement for Nick Ephgrave after his decision to retire halfway through his tenure.
February 26, 2026
Metals Magnate Denied Appeal In $500M Trafigura Fraud Case

Prateek Gupta can't challenge a finding that he carried out a $500 million scam against Trafigura through sham nickel trades, after a judge rejected his argument on Thursday that the commodities trader was aware of the fraud.
February 26, 2026
New Courts Bill To Hit Fraud, Bribery, AML Offenses

Historic legislation that curtails the right to jury trials means cases of complex fraud and financial crime will be heard by a judge alone to ease pressure on the criminal justice system and reduce the length of particularly technical trials.
February 25, 2026
EU, UK To Share Info On 'Significant' Antitrust Probes

British and European Union officials signed a new agreement Wednesday promising to notify each other of major merger and antitrust probes and coordinate their efforts "when necessary," in what they called the first dedicated competition cooperation agreement following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU.
February 25, 2026
Two Arrested In £6M Waste Packaging Fraud Investigation

The Environment Agency revealed Wednesday that two people have been arrested as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering and the fraudulent sale of more than £6 million ($8.1 million) in waste packaging scheme credits.
February 25, 2026
Lebanese Fund Accuses Founder Of Secret $29M Asset Sale

A Lebanese fund said in filings Wednesday in a London court that its founder unilaterally sold $29 million of its investment portfolio behind the backs of shareholders, handing the assets to a Kuwaiti business group — his "true" employer.
February 25, 2026
EU Watchdog To Change Senior Manager Suitability Rules

European financial regulators on Wednesday launched a consultation proposing major changes to how banks and investment firms assess the fitness and propriety of their leaders and key executives.
February 25, 2026
SFO To Claw Back 'Mere Fraction' From £226M Ponzi Fraud

A judge ordered a property developer convicted of running a £226 million ($305.5 million) Ponzi scheme to pay back just £283,000 on Wednesday after concluding that the vast majority of the investors' money was lost or siphoned off as a family "money pot."
February 25, 2026
Google Wins Second Shot To Trim £14B Ad Tech Class Action

Google won a second shot on Wednesday at trimming a £13.6 billion ($18.4 billion) U.K. class action on behalf of website and application publishers who alleged that the U.S. tech giant abused its dominance in the advertising market.
February 25, 2026
Judge Rebukes Solicitors For Using AI To Cite Fake Cases

A London tribunal has reprimanded two lawyers for using artificial intelligence to draft documents littered with errors, warning that hallucinated citations send judges on a "fool's errand" of searching for cases that don't exist.
February 24, 2026
EU Moves Closer To Appointing New Chief Prosecutor

Senior members of the European Parliament have backed a veteran German prosecutor to be the next head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, the bloc has said.
February 24, 2026
Reddit Fined £14.5M By ICO For Children Privacy Failures

Britain's privacy regulator on Tuesday fined social media company Reddit Inc. £14.5 million ($19.6 million) for unlawfully processing children's personal information and failing to protect young users' privacy.
February 24, 2026
Leveson Warns Justice System Faces Disaster Without AI

Prosecutors face "disaster" if they cannot get to grips with using artificial intelligence to process and review the mountain of digital material in increasingly complex criminal cases, former senior judge Brian Leveson warned on Tuesday.
February 24, 2026
UK Hits Russian Banks, Oil And Weapons In Sanctions Blitz

The government launched a barrage of almost 300 new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday in a bid to crack down on the country's energy industry and suppliers of military equipment that have backed the invasion of Ukraine.
February 24, 2026
UK Tees Up Courts Legislation With Limits On Jury Trials

The government is expected to introduce legislation curtailing the right to jury trials — including for serious and complex fraud — on Wednesday as part of a sweeping package of reforms designed to modernize the criminal justice system.
February 24, 2026
Russell Brand Denies Rape, Sexual Assault Charges

Actor and comedian Russell Brand denied charges of rape and sexual assault as he appeared at a criminal court in London on Tuesday.
February 23, 2026
Gov't Gives Criminal Courts Extra £247M To Tackle Backlog

Criminal courts in England and Wales will be handed an extra £247 million ($333 million) to operate at "maximum capacity" in 2027, to help cut backlogs and speed up the justice system, the government said Tuesday.
February 23, 2026
Mandelson Arrested Over Alleged Epstein Leaks

London's police force confirmed on Monday that it has arrested Peter Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office after an investigation into emails between the former minister and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
February 23, 2026
Law 'In A Real Mess' If Mazur Ruling Upheld, CILEX Tells Court

The professional body for legal executives told a London appeals court on Monday that the "law is in a real mess" if it upholds a surprise ruling that legal executives, trainees and paralegals cannot conduct litigation, even under supervision.
February 23, 2026
BMA Loses Appeal Over 'Medical Pro' Label For Non-Doctors

A London appeals court has rejected the British Medical Association's latest challenge against regulatory guidance that calls non-doctors "medical professionals," describing the label as "accurate and fair."
February 23, 2026
Broker Jailed For Fraud That Cost Aviation Industry £39M

A former airplane parts broker was sentenced on Monday to more than four years in prison for forging the certification of parts in a fraud that grounded commercial jets and cost the aviation industry £39 million ($53 million).

Editor's Picks

New 'British FBI' Plan Missing Vital Detail, Lawyers Say

Plans by the government to merge several fraud enforcement agencies give little detail about how the largest policing overhaul in 200 years will operate in practice, although lawyers say the Serious Fraud Office appears to be safe — for now.
Slapped Down: SRA At Crossroads After SLAPP Setbacks

The string of failed prosecutions brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority against City lawyers accused of trying to silence journalists on behalf of clients has raised questions about its enforcement strategy, with critics accusing the watchdog of overreaching its rules.
Meet The Lawyers Tapped To Defend In Entain Bribery Case

Eleven gambling managers and employees, including former top executives at Ladbrokes and Coral owner Entain PLC, have enlisted veteran defense counsel and some of the country's most experienced trial solicitors and barristers to defend themselves against the Crown Prosecution Service's bribery and fraud charges.

Expert Analysis

New Foreign Bribery Guide Can Help Int'l Cos. Identify Risks

In light of growing global coordination on anti-bribery enforcement, the International Foreign Bribery Taskforce’s recent guide to foreign bribery indicators represents a step forward in the standardization of factors for evaluating corruption risks that multinational companies should consider, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.
FCA Enforcement Newsletter Reflects Shift Toward Openness

The Financial Conduct Authority’s inaugural Enforcement Watch newsletter provides clarity on the cases the regulator is opening and highlights its approach to early communication of enforcement activity, offering a welcome insight into its emerging priorities, says David Hamilton at Howard Kennedy.
How UK Gov't Proposes To Streamline CMA Regime

The Department for Business and Trade’s planned overhaul of the Competition Market Authority’s regime will introduce a series of targeted procedural changes aimed at improving efficiency and engagement, raising questions around procedural safeguards and jurisdictional thresholds, say lawyers at Baker Botts.
Decoding Arbitral Disputes: US Cert Denial And EU Strategy

The U.S. Supreme Court recently denied certiorari in Russia v. Hulley Enterprises, leaving in place the D.C. Circuit's opinion supporting jurisdiction in the $50 billion arbitration award challenge, and intensifying litigation exposure for the European Union's strategy of contesting the enforceability of intra-EU awards abroad, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.
Examining EU Data Watchdog's E-Commerce Account Guide

Lawyers at Gibson Dunn take a look at the European Data Protection Board’s recently adopted recommendations regarding the mandatory creation of user accounts on e-commerce websites, and address the regulator's assessment of when they may be justified under the General Data Protection Regulation.
EU AI Act Conformity Key For Cos. Despite Enforcement Delay

The European Data Protection Board-European Data Protection Supervisor’s recent joint opinion, posted in response to the European Commission’s proposal to delay EU Artificial Intelligence Act implementation, captures some of the core worries raised that postponement may affect fundamental rights protections and further undermine legal certainty, say lawyers at ZwillGen.
EU Foreign Subsidies Guide Brings Clarity And Questions

The European Commission’s long-awaited EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation guidelines provide helpful clarifications for companies, but with many areas remaining broadly framed, uncertainty may continue to deter investments and increase the compliance burden on organizations, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
FRC Audit Proposals Reaffirm Support For Economic Growth

The Financial Report Council’s recent proposals to prioritize audit enforcement, supervision and market reform will reward audit firms that self-police and proactively admit auditing standard breaches, signaling its aims to change the market landscape and encourage investment, say lawyers at RPC.
How FCA's Client Reforms May Boost Investment Access

The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent proposals to reform the professional client categorization regime and simplify conflicts of interest rules are likely to be welcomed, although firms will need to navigate the increased responsibility that comes with greater flexibility, say lawyers at Skadden.
Irish Consumer Law Proposals Expose Concerns Over Privacy

The Irish government’s recent proposals to amend and clarify competition and consumer law would allow new investigative powers and greater financial sanctions, leading to concerns from businesses whether the benefits outweigh the privacy risks, says Kate McKenna at Matheson.
Where PCAOB Goes Next After A Year Of Uncertainty

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will likely bring fewer enforcement matters in 2026, reflecting a notable change in board priorities following the change in administrations, say Robert Cox and Nicole Byrd at Whiteford Taylor and Matthew Rogers at Bridgehaven Consulting.
Nigeria Ruling Offers Road Map For Onerous Costs Requests

The Court of Appeal's judgment in Nigeria v. VR Global Partners is significant because it tests the extent to which a court may prioritize accessibility and its own resources over a judgment creditor's desire for immediate recourse, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square.
Consolidation Of Lloyd's Bylaws Will Be Useful For Members

Lloyd’s of London’s recent consolidation of its bylaws will make the rules governing its market more accessible, providing immediate results as well as the necessarily flexible framework to address the future needs of its participants, say lawyers at Skadden.
How EU Prospectus Rule Changes May Boost Market Access

The European Union Listing Act’s forthcoming changes to EU prospectus requirements aim to reduce the regulatory burden for issuers of securities, facilitating more efficient transaction execution and reducing market risk, of particular relevance to small and midsize enterprises, say lawyers at Covington.
4 Securities Trends For Pension Trustees To Watch In 2026

With the U.K. signaling it will soon demand more active fiduciary stewardship from pension trustees, British and EU fund managers must follow key trends in mass securities litigation, investment disclosures, and U.S. enforcement that could require intervening for their investors in 2026, say lawyers at Labaton Keller.