Money Laundering Investigations

We handle internal and regulatory investigations into anti-money laundering systems and controls, with particular experience of handling cross-border issues, and have a leading criminal defence capability. Our extensive international presence gives us both the resources and experience to act quickly to form cross-office teams to address these issues effectively and efficiently for our clients.

We advise clients on internal investigations into money laundering, terrorist financing and financial crime concerns, frequently working alongside our advisory colleagues to assess national and international compliance and reporting obligations. We have extensive experience of helping clients avoid and mitigate issues before they arise by implementing internal controls and systems, and we frequently advise on money laundering issues in pre-acquisition due diligence.

Our recent work includes advising:

• A large European bank on regulatory and criminal investigations into concerns about widespread, historic anti-money laundering failings in one of its CEE branches.
• A large European bank on disclosures of suspicions of money laundering and on-going briefings to the relevant UK authorities (FCA, PRA, Bank of England, NCA).
• A board member and ex-chairman of an international company in a criminal investigation into alleged payments made to terrorist groups in order to keep a plant in Syria operational.
• A global financial services group whose client was the victim of fraud and embezzlement conducted by an international gang of criminals, who used a forged instruction for a payment on the trust account of a Belgian attorney.
• Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLROs) in dual track criminal and regulatory investigations before the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).