Since the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the establishment of the Asset Recovery Agency and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the majority of defendants who have received a benefit from their criminal activities are likely to be the subject of a confiscation order.
More emphasis is now being placed upon the financial position of the defendant during the prosecution and it is now likely that the defence of the confiscation order may need to begin even before the trial.
In some cases the defendants will have their assets seized at the start of an investigation, before any charges have been considered. Where this is the case your client is likely to need urgent assistance from specialist accountants who are familiar with the Proceeds of Crime legislation.
The specialist forensic team will work closely with our tax and VAT specialists, who are also all experienced expert witnesses, to provide you with an unrivalled multidisciplinary team of professionals working on your behalf.
We have a wealth of experience of acting for both prosecution and defence in confiscation matters and we will challenge the level of the confiscation order and advise whether it is an accurate assessment of the proceeds of the crime.
Why would you need it?
- You are a solicitor and need to appoint an accountancy firm to investigate the level of confiscation claimed for legal proceedings and act as an independent expert witness
- You are a solicitor or barrister and need an accountancy firm to investigate and advise on the proceeds of a crime, with a view to acting an independent expert witnesses