New blueprint to protect public from scammers – Home Office
‘Government launches new strategy to cut fraud, pursue fraudsters and empower the public.’
Home Office, 3rd May 2023
Source: www.gov.uk
Category: fraud
Clampdown on cold calls and mass texting technology announced in UK – The Guardian
‘Ministers have announced a clampdown on the use of cold calls to sell financial products and on technology which allows mass texting of numerous phones as part of a strategy to combat fraud, now the UK’s most common crime.’
The Guardian, 2nd May 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Trial for Chris Packham’s libel claim set to begin – The Independent
‘Environmentalist Chris Packham’s libel trial over denied allegations that he misled the public into donating to a wildlife charity to rescue “broken” tigers from circuses is set to begin at the High Court.’
The Independent, 2nd May 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Fraud and indemnity costs – no presumption; and polemicists beware! – Littleton Chambers
‘In Pisante v Logothetis [2022] EWHC 2575 (Comm), Baker J had to consider whether to make an order for indemnity costs following a successful US$6.5m fraud action.’
Littleton Chambers, 7th March 2023
Source: littletonchambers.com
‘Failure to prevent’ fraud offence to apply in UK to large organisations – OUT-LAW.com
‘A new criminal offence of failing to prevent fraud is to be added to UK law and applied to large businesses and other large organisations.’
OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2023
Source: www.pinsentmasons.com
Wiltshire rogue traders who mocked elderly victims jailed Published 15 hours ago – BBC News
‘Three rogue traders who filmed themselves boasting about overcharging for poor roofing work have been jailed.’
BBC News, 13th April 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
When undue influence and mutual wills collide: Naidoo v Barton [2023] EWHC 500 (Ch) – Gatehouse Chambers
‘Naidoo v Barton [2023] EWHC 500 (Ch) clarifies an important, and hitherto unresolved, issue concerning the doctrine of mutual wills. The court determined that it is the Etridge test for undue influence, applicable to challenging life time transactions, that applies when considering whether or not a mutual wills agreement should be set aside and not the more stringent probate test that generally applies where a will is challenged on the grounds of undue influence.’
Gatehouse Chambers, 12th March 2023
Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk
New ‘failure to prevent’ offence tabled – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A new offence of failure to prevent fraud will be created by an amendment to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill tabled by the government today. Under the measure, an organisation where a fraud has been committed must be able to demonstrate that it had ‘reasonable measures in place to deter the offending’ or be liable to an unlimited fine.’
Law Society's Gazette, 11th April 2023
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
The English courts found to have jurisdiction where an alternative forum was available – Mills & Reeve
‘In a complex piece of litigation in which international fraud is alleged, four defendants contested the jurisdiction of the English courts to hear the claims and the associated insolvency applications. Applying the two-stage test in Spiliada Maritime Corp v Cansulex Ltd [1987], the Court dismissed the applications.’
Mills & Reeve, 3rd April 2023
Source: www.mills-reeve.com
A Summary Assessment of Dishonesty: Gupta v Shah [2023] EWHC 540 (Ch) – Tanfield Chambers
‘The High Court recently handed down judgment in the case of Gupta v Shah [2023] EWHC 540 (Ch), a double-barrelled summary judgment and strike out application in an idiosyncratic international fraud worth $14 million. The case involved extravagant defences of clandestine US-Iranian Commercial dealings, secret caches of US dollar reserves, Chinese State Security, and a systematic theft of funds by major multinational banks.’
Tanfield Chambers, 28th March 2023
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
Stephanie Jones jailed for 2 Wish Upon A Star fraud – BBC News
‘A fraudster who made up a fake counsellor to con a bereavement charity has been jailed for a year.’
BBC News, 23rd March 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Teacher who lied that she had cancer and surgeons removed her eye banned from classroom – The Independent
‘A teacher who lied about having cancer and falsely claimed that surgeons had removed her eye has been banned from the classroom indefinitely.’
The Independent, 23rd March 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Boy George and Culture Club members pay ex-drummer £1.75m after legal dispute – The Guardian
‘Jon Moss, a founding member of Culture Club, will be paid £1.75m by his former bandmates, who have reached a settlement with him instead of commencing a high court trial.’
The Guardian, 22nd March 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Fraudster convicted decade ago must pay £92,500 – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A property dealer jailed for one of the UK’s biggest mortgage frauds a decade ago has been ordered to pay a further £92,500 – money which was recovered from a settlement over a donation to a private school.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 17th March 2023
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Ex-council tenant given suspended sentence, ordered to pay £10k after failing to inform London borough she had vacated property – Local Government Lawyer
‘A former council tenant who vacated the home to live at a property she had purchased elsewhere but failed to inform the local authority has received a £10,000 fine and suspended prison sentence.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Judge jails fake NHS psychiatrist and criticises ‘abject failure of scrutiny’ – The Guardian
‘A bogus psychiatrist who practised in the NHS for 22 years with a fake degree has been jailed, as a judge criticised medical authorities for an “abject failure of scrutiny”.’
The Guardian, 28th February 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Defendant given 12-month community order and ordered to pay council costs after housing fraud guilty plea – Local Government Lawyer
‘A 46-year-old nurse has been sentenced to a 12-month community order and told to contribute to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s costs after pleading guilty to housing fraud.’
Local Government Lawyer, 27th February 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Judges urged to call out role of lawyers in “layering” PI claims – Legal Futures
‘The ruling of a district judge highlighting apparent collusion between solicitors, medical experts and others in inflating a personal injury claim is an important landmark in the fight against fraud, the defendant lawyer involved has argued.’
Legal Futures, 23rd February 2023
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Three city workers sentenced in a $8.45m hedge and wealth fund fraud – Crown Prosecution Service
‘Three fund managers have been sentenced today (20 February 2023) for a large-scale fraud which amounted to losses of $8.45 million which were meant for the people of Libya at Southwark Crown Court.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 20th February 2023
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
Newport: Burglars threatened to cut off man’s fingers – BBC News
‘Two burglars who threatened to cut off a 78-year-old man’s fingers after breaking into his home have each been jailed for 12 years.’
BBC News, 20th February 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
