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Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

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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.

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FCA Urged To Clarify AI Rules For Senior Managers

The Financial Conduct Authority is facing calls from legal experts for it to plug gaps in its rules that could leave senior managers on the hook for failings in artificial intelligence under existing accountability regulations.

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.

Signage on the outside of the London building that is home to the U.K. agency for fighting white-collar crime.

SFO Director's Surprise Exit Reignites Debate Over Its Future

Nick Ephgrave's surprise retirement from the Serious Fraud Office could turn up the heat on a simmering debate about the future of the agency and a potential merger with other law enforcement authorities such as the National Crime Agency, lawyers say.

February 04, 2026
Russells Beats Claim Over Alleged IP Biz Share Sale Plot

A London court struck out an executive's case on Wednesday that two of his business associates and Russells Solicitors plotted to hide plans for a $40 million takeover of a celebrity intellectual property licensing company to get him to sell his shares cheaply.
February 04, 2026
Law Firm, Consultant Fined £80K For Misusing Client Account

A law firm and its consultant have been hit with a fine of almost £80,000 ($109,000) between them after the Solicitors Regulation Authority found that the consultant had improperly used a client account to move money for a Russian client.
February 04, 2026
Keoghs Expands With Counter-Fraud Team From Clyde & Co.

Keoghs LLP said Wednesday that it has hired a team of counter-fraud experts from Clyde & Co. LLP as it expands its services in central England.
February 04, 2026
Financier Settles Libel Case Over €454M Vatican Fraud Claims

An Anglo-Italian financier has settled his libel action against a newspaper publisher in which he alleged that the paper wrongly accused him of orchestrating a €454 million ($536 million) property fraud against the Vatican.
February 04, 2026
Law Firms, Claims Managers Warned On Motor Finance Cases

Financial and legal regulators warned claims management companies and law firms handling claims for motor finance compensation on Wednesday to avoid multiple representation of consumers and ensure that any fees they charge are fair.
February 03, 2026
Disclosure Overhaul And AI Reform To Tackle Courts Crisis

A landmark review of the U.K.'s ailing criminal court system called for an overhaul of disclosure rules on Wednesday, recommending prosecutors stop automatically disclosing certain types of evidence and start leaning heavily on artificial intelligence.
February 03, 2026
Dairy Co. Presses UK Court To Revive Tax Deductions On IP

A European dairy giant asked a London appeals court on Tuesday to overturn lower tribunal rulings denying the company tax deductions for the gradual write-off of brands, intellectual property and goodwill following an acquisition.
February 03, 2026
Solicitor Accused Of Stalking Says Blogger Harassed Him

A solicitor accused of stalking a legal blogger told a London criminal court on Tuesday that the blogger had harassed him because he was sexually attracted to him.
February 03, 2026
Banque Havilland Gets Fine Over Qatar Currency Cut To £4M

A tribunal upheld on Tuesday the Financial Conduct Authority's finding that Banque Havilland, now Rangecourt SA, acted without integrity to harm Qatar's currency, but trimmed the regulator's fine of the bank from £10 million ($13.7 million) to £4 million.
February 03, 2026
Data Regulator Probes X's Grok Over Sexualized 'Deepfakes'

The U.K.'s data watchdog revealed Tuesday that it has launched formal investigations into personal data processing within X's Grok generative artificial intelligence chatbot and its potential to produce harmful sexualized "deepfake" images and videos.
February 03, 2026
Hoka Sneaker Maker Fights To Quash Price Fixing Ruling

The maker of Hoka running shoes on Tuesday asked a London appeals court to overturn a ruling that it engaged in indirect price fixing by blocking a British retailer from selling through an online discount store.
February 03, 2026
Aircraft Co. Settles $28M Claim Over Undersold Lessor

An aviation business has settled its $28 million claim against an aircraft lessor it alleged had suppressed its own income and profitability, causing the business to undersell its shares in the lessor.
February 03, 2026
Exec Fights To Keep Name Out Of SFO Bribery Settlement

An executive cleared of bribery urged a London court on Tuesday to overturn findings that he could be named in a corporate settlement with the Serious Fraud Office, arguing that maintaining his privacy would not breach the principle of open justice.
February 03, 2026
Met Confirms Probe Into Mandelson's Alleged Epstein Leaks

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday that it will launch an official investigation into allegations that Peter Mandelson leaked government information to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
February 02, 2026
SFO Will Drop London Mining Bribery Prosecution

The Serious Fraud Office will drop its prosecution against three people in the mining industry over their alleged involvement in a bribery scheme in Sierra Leone, a person with knowledge of the case said Monday.
February 02, 2026
Solicitor Accused Clients Of Crimes Over Unpaid Bill

A solicitor made reports to international security agencies accusing his former clients of evading sanctions and trading with terrorists because of a dispute over unpaid fees, the Solicitors Regulation Authority told a tribunal Monday.
February 02, 2026
Captain Guilty Over Fatal US Oil Tanker Crash In North Sea

The captain of a cargo ship was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter on Monday after failing to take action to prevent a crash between two ships in the North Sea which led to an explosion and the death of a crew member.
February 02, 2026
Broadcast Biz Denies Liability To Banks In £1.3B Fraud Case

A broadcasting equipment company has denied that it is liable to Lloyds Bank PLC and Bank of Scotland PLC if the lenders are found to have wrongly processed payments linked to an alleged £1.3 billion ($1.8 billion) fraud.
February 02, 2026
Doreen Lawrence Felt 'Violated' By Alleged Mail Spying

Campaigner Doreen Lawrence told a trial on Monday that she felt "violated" when she was told that the publisher of the Daily Mail had spied on her unlawfully while it publicly supported her family's efforts to secure justice for her murdered son.
February 02, 2026
EY Settles £2B Negligence Case Over NMC Health Collapse

EY has settled a £2 billion ($2.73 billion) claim in London over its allegedly negligent auditing of collapsed health giant NMC Health and its failure to spot major fraud by shareholders at the hospital operator.
February 02, 2026
Carter-Ruck Partner Can Claim Costs For Failed SRA Action

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled Monday that a Carter-Ruck partner can in principle recover costs from the industry regulator after she was cleared of disciplinary charges linked to the OneCoin cryptocurrency scam, but said that the High Court should decide how much.
January 30, 2026
Tech Exec Fired After Board Coup Bid Was 'Unfairly' Let Go

A London Employment Tribunal has ruled that a financial technology payment startup unfairly dismissed its chief technology officer, but did not do so for the disclosures he made amid a souring relationship with the company's chief executive that led to an attempted boardroom coup.
January 30, 2026
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London saw collapsed solar bonds company Rockfire Capital sue the Royal Bank of Scotland, e-ticket platform Eventbrite target the owners of Salford Red Devils rugby club over an alleged contract breach, and Scottish distiller William Grant & Sons square off against a former MP in a trademark tussle tied to its Glenfiddich whisky.
January 30, 2026
Trafigura Wins Trial Over $500M Nickel Fraud Against Magnate

Trading company Trafigura was the victim of a "massive fraud" carried out by Prateek Gupta and his companies in which he made $500 million in sham nickel trades, a London court concluded on Friday.
January 30, 2026
FCA Proposes New Climate Disclosure Rules For Listed Cos.

The Financial Conduct Authority proposed to replace its climate disclosure rules on Friday for companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, under a new regime aligned with international standards.

Editor's Picks

6 Bombshell Moments From Staley's Bid To Clear His Name

Jes Staley has suffered a bruising week as he testified about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, culminating in an admission by the former banker that he had sex with a member of the disgraced financier's staff.
5 Questions For Spencer West Partner Karl Foster

The Financial Conduct Authority's approach to enforcement and consumer protection has come up against government economic growth priorities and resistance from the sector to its proposals to "name and shame" companies early on during regulatory probes.
UK Russia Sanctions Face Landmark Test At Supreme Court

The U.K.'s sanctions regime faces a major test on Wednesday as billionaire Eugene Shvidler seeks to have his financial restrictions cast off — the first case to challenge Russian sanctions that has reached the country's highest court.

Expert Analysis

4 Securities Trends For Pension Trustees To Watch In 2026

RACHEL WAITING FOR UPDATE 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.
Sanctions Spotlight: Compliance Insights After OTSI's 1st Year

The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation's recent report on its first year of operation offers insights into OTSI's interpretation of its mandate as the U.K.'s civil enforcement body for trade sanctions and efforts to operationalize its enforcement powers, giving businesses a compliance road map for areas it will prioritize in 2026, says Alexandra Melia at Steptoe.
FTO Designations: Containing Foreign Firms' Legal Risks

Non-U.S. companies can contain legal risks related to foreign terrorist organizations by deliberately structuring operations to demonstrate that any interactions with cartel-affected environments are incidental, constrained and unrelated to advancing harm on the U.S., says David Raskin at Nardello & Co.
A Look At ESMA's New Governance Framework For EU Boards

The European Securities and Markets Authority's recently finalized supervisory expectations for management bodies mark a shift toward improved board oversight across culture, risk, strategy and accountability that firms should view as a benchmark, say lawyers at Ropes & Gray.
UK Class Actions Appear Set For Resurgence In 2026

In 2026, the U.K. will likely see an uptick in class actions as a result of legal and regulatory developments, including the landmark court decision in BHP Group v. PGMBM Law that boosted confidence in the enforceability of funds-committed litigation funding arrangements, say lawyers at Winston & Strawn.
Limited Claims Raise Concerns About Subsidy Act's Efficacy

With significantly fewer challenges to date than expected under the Subsidy Control Act, it appears that parties may be unwilling to bring claims or unaware of their rights, calling into question the effectiveness of the regime, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.
How To Navigate AI M&A Risks, Compliance In Europe

As the artificial intelligence industry continues to witness substantial M&A transactions in Europe, parties should be mindful of the unique challenges posed by the acquisition of intangible AI technologies, monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, and establish optimal mechanisms for risk allocation, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.
What Is In Store For ESG Litigation In UK And EU

With 2025 seeing more sophisticated and far-reaching environmental litigation, and regulatory enforcement set to continue, a focus on greenwashing and climate attribution science is likely in 2026, and organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in their approach to sustainability risks and opportunities, say lawyers at Simmons & Simmons.
Noting Similarities And Divergences In UK, EU Apple Rulings

While recent judgments against Apple by the Competition Appeal Tribunal and European Commission all focus on the Apple ecosystem and point toward closer scrutiny of its App Store rules, their analytical methodologies and potential enforcement routes differ, highlighting differences in approaches to competition law, say lawyers at Perkins Coie.
Decoding Arbitral Disputes: EU Law And Treaty Arbitration

A recent Singapore court ruling in DNZ v. DOA upholding an arbitration award against Poland constitutes a significant affirmation of the autonomy of international arbitration from regional constitutional orders when disputes are adjudicated outside those orders, says Josep Galvez of 4-5 Gray's Inn.
What To Expect From UK Prospectus Regime Changes

The new U.K. prospectus regime for trading on regulated markets, effective Jan. 19, aims to streamline processes and reduce costs, but a significant shift in structuring and disclosure obligations will increase pressure on practitioners to manage risk under tighter timelines, say lawyers at Baker Botts.
10 Financial Regulatory Changes To Prepare For In 2026

A number of changes in the financial regulatory sphere are due this year, from targeted support to payment safeguarding and a new consumer composite investments regime, and firms should plan to address the policies and regulatory strategies relevant to them, say lawyers at Womble Bond.
How Gov't AML Supervision Reform Will Affect Law Firms

In confirming that the Financial Conduct Authority will become the single supervisor for professional services, HM Treasury’s planned reform of the U.K.’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing supervision regime marks a significant change for the legal profession, signaling a greater emphasis on evidence and accountability, says Harriet Holmes at Thirdfort.
EU Financial Regulation Trends Cos. Need To Watch In 2026

An ever-increasing number of initiatives on the European Union regulatory agenda, with simplification and consistent implementation being priorities, means financial services businesses with a footprint in the EU or seeking to establish one will face significant challenges and strategic opportunities, say lawyers at Taylor Wessing.
What To Expect From UK, EU Crypto Regime Changes In 2026

With 2025 marking the first operational year of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation and the U.K.’s rules reaching their final legislative form, the two jurisdictions are converging in focus, but structural design differences mean firms active in both markets will require dedicated documentation to ensure compliance, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.