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Category Archives: Serious Fraud Office

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‘Above & Beyond’? Serious Fraud Office Issues Corporate Co-Operation Guidance – Part I

By Anne-Marie Ottaway, Barry Vitou and Gareth R. Hall on Posted in Corporate, criminal law, GT Alert, Serious Fraud Office, sfo, White collar
The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has issued its long-awaited guidance on corporate co-operation. For the first time in one place, the SFO has set out what in its view are ‘indicators of good [co-operation] practice’ for companies under investigation. This is a helpful clarification. In its own words the SFO defines co-operation as going… Continue Reading

Beware of Strangers Bearing Gifts: UK ‘Business Integrity Initiative’ Aims to Support the Anti-Corruption Efforts of SMEs

By Gareth R. Hall, Anne-Marie Ottaway and Barry Vitou on Posted in Bribery Act 2010, Corporate, criminal law, Government, GT Alert, International Trade, National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, sfo, White collar
The UK government’s Anti-Corruption Newsletter for Summer 2019, supported by ‘Anti-Corruption Champion’ John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, covers the latest developments in anti-corruption over the last quarter. Two reported highlights illustrate the government’s steadfast approach to issuing new statutory guidance for both large corporates and small UK businesses. However, the latter category could receive subsidised… Continue Reading

The Serco Deferred Prosecution Agreement: A Lesson in Pragmatism

By Anne-Marie Ottaway, Barry Vitou and Gareth R. Hall on Posted in criminal law, Deferred Prosecution Agreement, GT Alert, Serious Fraud Office, sfo, White collar
On 4 July 2019 at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Justice William Davis formally approved the fifth Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) entered into by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The SFO’s latest DPA is with Serco Geografix Limited (SGL), a now-dormant subsidiary of Serco Limited (SL), and marks the end of a six-year investigation which started… Continue Reading

M&A Deal Flushes Out Bribery Scheme Leaving Seller Director with a Multi-Million Pound Hangover and Jail Time

By Anne-Marie Ottaway, Barry Vitou and Gareth R. Hall on Posted in GT Alert, Serious Fraud Office, White collar
On 30 May 2019 the SFO issued a press release announcing that Carol Ann Hodson, the former director and owner of a company named ALCA Fasteners Ltd (ALCA), pleaded guilty to paying bribes amounting to £300,000 in order to secure contracts worth £12m. The bribes were paid to purchasing manager1 of a German company over the… Continue Reading