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Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

Sign outside the headquarters of the UK anti-fraud agency

The SFO's Options To Pursue Guralp For Alleged DPA Breach

Sanctioning and potentially even prosecuting a British company for breaching a plea deal would bolster the U.K.'s flagging criminal settlement regime, although the Serious Fraud Office will have to weigh whether a tough stance is in the interests of justice, lawyers say.

Exterior of the financial regulator's offices in London

FCA Kick-Starts New 'Name And Shame' Enforcement Tactic

The Financial Conduct Authority has begun 2026 with a clear sign that it will use its newly won power to "name and shame" companies under investigation for suspected misconduct as it seeks to bolster protection for consumers.

portrait of a smiling white woman with long straight blonde hair wearing a suit

Sprenger Follows The Puck To New Boutique Dream Team

White collar veteran Polly Sprenger explained her decision to join the new London office of U.S. firm Michelman & Robinson with Wayne Gretzky's famed follow-the-puck mantra. Here she talks to Law360 about seeking out a different way of working, what clients actually need and why she thinks good lawyers should reveal rather than conceal the truth.

The Top Non-SFO Financial Crime Trials To Watch In 2026

A major corruption trial against Nigeria's former oil minister, a tax fraud case against a prominent barrister and the prosecution of two men over a cyberattack on London's transport network are among the biggest white-collar cases in 2026 not brought by the Serious Fraud Office.

January 14, 2026
Labour Party Won't Block Scottish Budget With Mansion Tax

The Labour Party will not block plans to implement what is commonly known as a mansion tax in Scotland at a threshold lower than the rest of the U.K. and to raise income tax thresholds to cut taxes for low earners, the party's Scottish leader said Wednesday.
January 14, 2026
Nigeria Wants To Pursue Litigation Funders For £50M Costs Bill

Nigeria argued at an appeals court on Wednesday that it should be able to seek to recover its £50 million ($67.3 million) legal bill from the litigation funders of an oil and gas company that defrauded the West African state in arbitration proceedings.
January 14, 2026
Dyson Forced Labor Claims Could Swell Ahead Of 2027 Trial

Dyson could face around 100 more claims from workers alleging forced labor when they made components at Malaysian factories for the appliance manufacturer, a London court said Wednesday.
January 14, 2026
Alleged UK Hacker Can Be Extradited To US Over Illicit Trades

A British man accused of hacking into the email accounts of American executives and using sensitive information to make $3.75 million in illicit trades can be extradited to the U.S. to stand trial, a London judge ruled Wednesday.
January 14, 2026
SFO Launches Bribery And Fraud Probe Into Property Investor

The Serious Fraud Office said Wednesday that it has opened a criminal investigation into the former management of a major housing company over suspicions of fraud and bribery worth an estimated £300 million ($403 million).
January 14, 2026
FRC To Continue Removing 'Unnecessary' Business Burdens

Britain's accounting watchdog said Wednesday it will continue its efforts to reduce "unnecessary" reporting and regulatory requirements on businesses as part of its broader bid to support growth in the U.K.
January 13, 2026
Minister Defends Plan To Drop Jury Trials In Complex Fraud

The U.K. government's courts minister on Tuesday defended proposals to drop jury trials for all but the most complex fraud and serious criminal cases, arguing that the current system is not fit for the demands of the 21st century.
January 13, 2026
Companies House To Bolster Fraud And Error Detection

Companies House will aid fraud detection by actively matching its data against that of government departments and local authorities as part of a focus on tackling vulnerabilities in its internal systems.
January 13, 2026
Carter-Ruck Pro Seeks £914K From SRA Over OneCoin Case

A Carter-Ruck partner urged a disciplinary tribunal on Tuesday to order the solicitors' regulator to pay her almost £1 million ($1.35 million) in legal costs and tax over its allegation that she had improperly threatened a whistleblower who exposed the OneCoin cryptocurrency scam.
January 13, 2026
SFO Wins Appeal Over DPA Enforcement Case Against UK Biz

Two senior judges opened the door on Tuesday for the Serious Fraud Office to hold a British business liable, for the first time, for allegedly breaching a corporate bribery settlement, raising questions about how the agency will enforce the terms of the settlement.
January 13, 2026
Jo Sidhu Fails To Overturn Disbarment For Sexual Misconduct

The former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, Jo Sidhu KC, lost his fight on Tuesday to overturn his disbarment for sexual misconduct toward a young aspiring lawyer, as a London court ruled that the sanction was justified.
January 12, 2026
Ex-Goldman Exec Faces July FCPA Trial Over Ghana Deal

A Brooklyn federal judge Monday teed up a midsummer trial for a former Goldman Sachs banker accused of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by bribing Ghanaian officials to secure a power plant deal.
January 12, 2026
Prosecutors Say Investors Lost Millions In Investment Scam

Four men defrauded two investors out of millions of dollars in "too good to be true" get-rich-quick investment schemes involving financial products, a prosecutor said during the opening of a London trial on Monday.
January 12, 2026
City Law Firm Liable For £2M Over Partner's AML Oversight

A London court ruled Monday that the liquidators of a property company can recover just over £2.1 million ($3 million) from a City law firm after it found a partner had ignored obvious red flags of a client involved in fraud.
January 12, 2026
Make Legal Aid Priority Like Health, Education, Bar Chair Says

The new chair of the Bar Council called on Monday for legal aid funding to get the same kind of priority as spending on education and health care as she outlined her priorities for the year ahead.
January 12, 2026
Solicitor Accused At Trial Of Stalking Court Blogger

A solicitor stalked a legal blogger who had covered litigation in which he was involved by sending repeated emails that included threats of litigation and comments about his sexuality, prosecutors said at a London criminal court Monday.
January 12, 2026
FCA Warns Wealth Managers Sell ETPs To Wrong Consumers

The Financial Conduct Authority said Monday that investment businesses are failing to test consumers' knowledge adequately before selling them complex exchange-traded products without advice.
January 12, 2026
Briton Faces South Africa Extradition In £36M Bribery Case

A London judge on Monday ordered on Monday the extradition of a British businessman to South Africa, where he faces charges in connection with an alleged £36 million ($48.5 million) government bribery scandal.
January 12, 2026
Petrol Station Duo Faked Employment In Transfer Spat

A London employment tribunal has struck out contract transfer claims brought by two alleged petrol station employees after finding they deliberately fabricated payslips and employment contracts to support their case.
January 12, 2026
UK Pays Settlement To Tortured Guantánamo Bay Detainee

The government has reached settlement in a legal fight with a Guantánamo Bay detainee, two years after the U.K. Supreme Court said he should be able to bring a personal injury claim in England over his torture.
January 09, 2026
SEC's 'Hack-To-Trade' Suit Was Unfairly Served, UK Man Says

An accused hacker in the U.K. seeks to shed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations he made $3.75 million trading on nonpublic information he improperly gained access to, arguing he'd been unfairly served in prison.
January 09, 2026
Ex-Director Ordered To Pay £265K Over P2P Lender Fraud

A London judge ordered a former director of a peer-to-peer lender to pay £265,000 ($355,000) on Friday following the businessman's conviction for defrauding investors after the scheme failed.
January 09, 2026
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen a collapsed investment firm revive a $15 million dispute with a hedge fund, major Hollywood studios bring an IP claim against the U.K.'s largest internet providers over illegal streaming, and the Department of Health and Social Care sue the law firm and barrister representing it in a pharma competition damages case.
January 09, 2026
Charity Watchdog Probes City And Guilds' Business Arm Sale

England and Wales' charity regulator revealed Friday that it has opened a statutory inquiry into the City and Guilds of London Institute, examining the educational organization's estimated approximately £180 million ($242 million) sale of its awards businesses over concerns related to executives' bonuses.
January 09, 2026
Barrister Disbarred Over LLM Dissertation Plagiarism

A barrister who was recently called was disbarred by a London legal disciplinary tribunal panel Friday after it found that he had copied another student's work and submitted it for his law master's degree dissertation.

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

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.
What Cos. Can Expect From CMA Consumer Protection Drive

The Competition and Markets Authority’s recently launched consumer protection drive targeting banned online sales practices focuses on supporting compliance rather than on enforcement, although firms should expect this to change once businesses have had time to adapt to the regulator's new regime, say lawyers at Baker Botts.
Preparing For UK's New Tax Fraud Whistleblower Program

With the U.K. government introducing a U.S.-style whistleblower incentive scheme to tackle high-value tax avoidance and evasion, companies should take proactive steps and establish clear protocols to mitigate the potential increase in tax investigations, say lawyers at Skadden.
Key Trends Shaping ESG And Sustainability Law In 2026

2025 saw a chaotic regulatory landscape and novel litigation around environmental, social and governance issues and sustainability — and 2026, while perhaps more predictable, will likely be no less challenging, with more lawsuits and a regulatory tug-of-war complicating compliance for global companies, say attorneys at Crowell.
Digital Regulation In EU And UK: The Enduring 2025 Themes

With EU and U.K. digital regulation becoming an operational reality in 2025 and no sign of slowing in 2026, organizations need to embed content moderation, cybersecurity and data access obligations into their compliance structures, although legislative divergences mean that multinational businesses must also consider parallel and sometimes conflicting expectations, say lawyers at Morrison & Foerster.
FCA Enforcement Trends In 2025 And Expectations For 2026

The Financial Conduct Authority’s clear intention in 2025 to conduct fewer, faster investigations and reinforce transparency is likely to continue in 2026, with a dual-pronged approach of targeted enforcement and assertive supervision to fight crime, support growth and help consumers as its priorities, say lawyers at WilmerHale.
Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
Brazil Dam Ruling Highlights Role Of Corporate Accountability

The recent High Court judgment in Municipio de Mariana v. BHP concerning the collapse of the Fundao dam establishes a precedent for holding parent companies that exercise significant control and assume responsibility liable for the actions of group entities, notwithstanding their multinational corporate structure, say lawyers at Irwin Mitchell.
Freezing Orders Maintain Their Impact 50 Years On

Freezing orders, created in Mareva v. International Bulk Carriers 50 years ago, are now a fundamental part of English and Welsh law and a significant weapon in the litigator's armory, considered indispensable by practitioners seeking to obtain enforceable judgments and interlocutory relief on behalf of their clients, say lawyers at Trowers and Hamlins.
Decoding Arbitral Disputes: A Paris Ruling Defines Key Limits

Though French arbitration law is highly supportive of arbitral autonomy, last week's Paris Court of Appeal judgment annulling a $14.9 billion arbitral award against Malaysia reaffirms that such support is neither unqualified nor blind to defects striking at the very legitimacy of the arbitral process, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.
EU Businesses Face Uncertainty Amid Sustainability Reforms

The European Commission’s sustainability omnibus, due to be approved this month, has brought a year of regulatory upheaval for European businesses, and although the long-awaited scaled-back obligations will provide clarity, a balance between not overburdening reporting companies and the need for data to make sustainable investments must be found, say lawyers at Peters & Peters.
SFO Compliance Guide Highlights Early Remediation Is Key

The Serious Fraud Office’s first external guidance on evaluating corporate compliance programs serves as an important reminder to organizations to keep their compliance measures under close review from the earliest stages of an internal investigation to mitigate the risk of ongoing and future misconduct, says Tom Grodecki at Cadwalader.