Money Laundering Solicitor
Our Money Laundering Solicitors possess extensive knowledge of money laundering offences and the expertise to secure favourable outcomes if your organisation is under investigation.
We implement comprehensive strategies that protect your interests and reputation, minimising any disruption to your business.
Our team is adept at operating in complex and challenging environments, ensuring that you and other stakeholders understand the motivations and methods of the Regulator when investigating and prosecuting money laundering offences. Additionally, we can assist you in navigating the regulatory landscape and developing robust policies and procedures to maintain ongoing anti-money laundering compliance throughout your organisation.
Based in our offices in Nuneaton city centre, we are a diverse, multi-lingual law firm using cutting-edge technology to provide clients with streamlined, modern, and highly effective criminal defence. Our years of experience in criminal law have established relationships with some of the UK’s top Barristers and King’s Counsel. Our clients also benefit from our ability to instruct the country’s most respected expert witnesses, who can present the necessary facts to support a not-guilty plea or mitigate the sentence handed down by the Judge.
Advising and Representing Individuals Accused of Criminal Offences
We are highly regarded as an expert criminal defence law firm for individuals accused of committing crimes. From the outset, we will be by your side, protecting your interests. We understand the correct procedures regulators must follow when investigating or prosecuting offences and will meticulously review every step taken, challenging any lapses in compliance.
Our criminal law team has vast experience in defending serious criminal charges, including money laundering offences. Our solicitors work with the country’s top expert witnesses, focusing on providing you with advice and representation you can trust. We know that your reputation, financial security, and possibly your freedom are at stake – therefore, we never give up until every appeal has been exhausted.
What is Money Laundering?
Money laundering is defined as the “process of creating the appearance that large amounts of money obtained from serious crimes, such as drug trafficking or terrorist activity, originated from a legitimate source”.
There are three phases involved in money laundering:
- Placement – introducing the ‘dirty’ money into the financial system. Banks usually have stringent anti-money laundering processes in place; thus, criminals often use other professionals like Solicitors and Accountants to funnel the money into the mainstream markets.
- Layering – the money undergoes complex financial transactions using trusts and offshore entities to obscure its criminal origins.
- Integration – once cleaned through the layering process, the money is used to purchase legitimate assets such as property, shares, art, cars, and antiques, making its origins nearly impossible to trace.
Financial institutions and professional bodies are particularly vulnerable to being exploited by criminals to ‘clean’ money. If you are being investigated for money laundering offences, it is crucial to contact our Money Laundering Solicitors immediately.
What are the Offences of Money Laundering?
Anyone working in a regulated industry should be aware that dishonesty is not required to commit an offence under UK money laundering law. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 identifies three primary money laundering offences:
- Concealing – it is an offence to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, or remove criminal property (including money).
- Arranging – this offence involves entering an agreement that you know or suspect enables the acquisition, retention, use, or control of criminal property by or on behalf of another. The penalty for arranging is the same as for concealment.
- Acquisition, use, or possession – if you know or suspect the property being acquired, used, or possessed is criminal property, you are committing a criminal offence.
If convicted of any of the above offences, you could face 14 years imprisonment following conviction on indictment or a fine, or both, and six months imprisonment or a fine, or both if convicted on a summary offence.
What is Covered by the Money Laundering Regulations 2007?
The Money Laundering Regulations 2007 require ‘relevant persons’ to establish certain processes to identify and report suspected money laundering and terrorist financing offences to specified regulatory authorities. ‘Relevant persons’ include financial institutions, legal and accountancy professionals, and other regulated sectors involved in financial transactions.
Failing to comply with the obligation to implement suitable processes is an offence. For example, a Solicitor or an Accountant who does not conduct proper due diligence checks when onboarding a new client may be committing an offence. Failing to maintain adequate records to demonstrate compliance is also a crime.
Why Choose Us?
Regardless of the charges against you, you are entitled to a criminal defence. We do not judge our clients; our only objective is to defend you against the Prosecution’s allegations. By instructing us to defend you, your chances of acquittal or a reduced sentence are significantly improved. The most important step is to contact us as soon as you become aware of a regulatory investigation or criminal allegations.
Cocks Lloyd Solicitors provides exceptional Money Laundering Solicitor and Business Crime & Regulatory Investigation services to clients. People choose and recommend us not just in Nuneaton, Tamworth, Atherstone, Hinckley and Leicester, but across Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and the West Midlands, and the whole of the UK, because we get results.
To receive expert advice and representation regarding Money Laundering Solicitor and Business Crime & Regulatory Investigation, please contact us using the form below, call us on (0247) 6641642, email via the Request a Callback form on this contact page.