Notable Cases

SMW secured a major reduction in a confiscation claim against a businessman, cutting the Crown’s alleged £8 million benefit to a £1.9 million order and nearly halving the available amount. All third-party interests were upheld, the corporate veil remained intact, and key assets were excluded after detailed submissions and robust negotiation.

An excellent outcome for our client, with the Court accepting that he had no beneficial interest in the property of which he was legal owner.

David Bloom represents a client who owed £62,000 on an existing Order, and £54,000 in interest. An Order was obtained reducing this amount to nil.

A successful outcome was achieved by negotiation that reduced the benefit figure by £770k and available amount by £320k and avoided a hidden assets finding.

Our client, a UK-registered company with valuable concessions to mine gold in west Africa, was referred to us after one of its UK HSBC business accounts was frozen ex parte.

Two successful representations in the month of July for SMW in respect of POCA civil recovery proceedings. One involved a client who was a registered charity, and the other an individual who had more than £43,000 seized by HMRC.

SMW successfully represent Ghanaian businessman, whose UK bank account was frozen, in having his account freezing order set aside.

Our client was found not guilty of transferring criminal property whilst working as a branch manager at Lloyds Bank after a 10-day trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Our client, who holds a senior position in the medical profession, was accused by her ex-partner of assault. After representations, the CPS decided to take 'no further action', and the professional regulator found that there was 'no case to answer'.

In February 2023, a Greek national had her current and savings accounts at NatWest frozen under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. With our assistance, the freezing order was set aside in December 2023.

Our client, a regulated money service business (MSB) providing currency exchange services, had some £170,000 in mixed currencies seized by HMRC under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Our client instructed us in March 2023, having lost faith in his original solicitor. He had been a man of good character prior to pleading guilty to cannabis cultivation and possession with intent to supply cannabis.