Asset tracing & fraud investigation

Fraud continues to be on the increase, with more and more sophisticated methods being employed by fraudsters. Our professional team can help with fraud investigation and asset tracing, to manage risk and help recover assets lost. We advise a range of stakeholders and can also defend those who are accused of wrongdoing.

The business impact of fraud is often extremely negative, both in terms of cost and reputation; in some instances it can even be catastrophic for a business. Our team can help mitigate the damage done to a business by a fraud, and trace and recover assets for victims as well as manage the risks when you might find yourself wrongfully caught up in a fraud and/ or being accused of its perpetration. The nature of fraud is constantly evolving. Some fraud occurs within a business, some takes the form of investment scams – whatever type it is we can offer practical advice to help you move forwards.

What do our fraud investigation specialists do?

Our specialist team is experienced in acting for claimants and defendants in fraud investigations, disputes and asset tracing actions across a broad range of industry sectors. These are often complex, international, high-value cases. We act on behalf of corporate clients or individuals who are victims and need our help. Unlike our competitors, our team is complemented by our in-house forensics and business intelligence offering (Gateley Omega), as well as internationally recognised reputational management experts (Gateley Legal NI). Our expertise includes:

• Fraud investigation – how it should be undertaken and considering the outcome. Every client’s situation and goals will be different and we can guide you through the process.
• Pursuing claims either by settlement or, if necessary, by litigation. We will discuss with every client what success looks like for them. Sometimes it is money/ assets, sometimes it is about something else such as reputation. We put your needs at the heart of our recommended strategy.
• Undertaking asset tracing which may include coordinating cross-border investigations, utilising both legal and non-legal tools. 
• Obtaining freezing orders in support of domestic and/ or international proceedings.
• Obtaining domestic and/ or foreign disclosure orders to help unravel the fraud and identify assets for enforcement.
• Attacking and defending complex onshore and offshore corporate and trust structures used to hide assets from creditors especially in cross-border cases.
• The appointment and recognition of court appointed receivers to preserve assets for enforcement or as part of a defensive strategy.
• Advising officeholders of corporate entities that have ended up in an insolvency process because of fraud. We help them to investigate and pursue statutory and other fraud claims against directors, officers and third parties to make recoveries for victims. 
• Advising in relation to claims arising out of financial services fraud, including claims arising out of market manipulation, misrepresentation in financial statements, boiler room scams, related party lending and mis-selling of financial products.
• Investigating and pursuing claims in relation to the dissipation of stolen digital assets, in particular crypto fraud cases involving Ponzi schemes, investment schemes, phishing and APP scams.
• Defending those accused of committing frauds.

We have significant experience of fraud investigation internationally with asset tracing and recovery assignments where clients, targets, assets and/ or information are in the FSU, the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UAE and offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, the BVI, the Bahamas, Guernsey, Gibraltar and Bermuda.

Who do we help?

We can represent any stakeholder who has been impacted by fraud. Our flexibility and experience in that regard makes us well-placed as knowledgeable, commercial and creative lawyers. We advise the full spectrum of our client base which includes UK and overseas banks and corporates, financial institutions, investment funds, UHNWIs, foreign regulatory/ Government authorities and both domestic and foreign officeholders. It also includes investors, shareholders, directors, creditors and any other victim of fraud. We have a full service offering which is not sector or industry specific – we are focussed on fraud, however it arises.