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Case law

  • Cases that solicitors should refer to while managing their anti-money laundering obligations

  • Case summaries

    • Armstrong DLW GMBH v Winnington Networks Ltd

      The case of Armstrong DLW GMBH v Winnington Networks Ltd looks at who bears the loss when poor due diligence results in the trading of stolen carbon credits.

    • Capewell v HM Revenue and Customs

      In this case, the House of Lords confirmed that the receiver's fees are to be paid out of the assets held in the receivership, whether the accused launderer is acquitted, not proceeded against or the receivership is successfully discharged.

    • CPS v IK AB and KA

      This case will interest practitioners advising on alleged terrorist financing

    • Dare v Crown Prosecution Service

      The Court of Appeal has upheld the decision in R v Geary and provided further clarification on what constitutes an arrangement for the purposes of section 328 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

    • Dawes & Ors v R

      The Court of Appeal upheld four convictions for conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime, namely profits from drug trafficking

    • Fitzpatrick and Others v Metropolitan Police

      The case of Fitzpatrick and Others v Metropolitan Police looks at what constitutes entering into an arrangement and considers the factors that police take into account before searching a solicitors' office or arresting a solicitor.

    • Irwin Mitchell (a firm) v Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and Another

      The Court of Appeal considered whether the movement of fees from the client account to the office account would be a breach of a criminal restraint order

    • Michaud v France

      Alison Matthews reviews the decision of the ECJ in Michaud v France on whether the application of the anti-money laundering reporting requirements to lawyers are consistent with the right to privacy.

    • Mohammad Ahmad v Her Majesty's Advocate [2009] HCJAC 60

      The Scottish Court of Appeal has ruled that property will be considered criminal property under POCA if the evidence of how it is handled 'gives rise to the irresistible inference' that it could only have been the product of crime.

    • R v Burke

      The Court of Appeal has decided that a conviction for money laundering against one defendant can stand, even when another defendant was acquitted for the substantive offence which had been said to generate the proceeds of crime to be laundered.

    • R v Geary

      Entering into an arrangement to create criminal property does not amount to an offence under s.328 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA)

    • R v Hogan

      The High Court in R v Hogan [2007] EWHC (Admin) 978 had to consider the defence of adequate consideration to a section 329 POCA 2002 offence.

    • R v Kausar, R v Nawaz and Anor, R v Amir and Anor

      The Court of Criminal Appeal has issued a series of judgements clarifying the application of money laundering offences in mortgage fraud cases.

    • R v Saik

      In R v Saik , the House of Lords considered the law of conspiracy with respect to the offence of money laundering, particularly where individuals suspected, rather than knew that the funds involved in a transaction were the proceeds of crime.

    • R v Varma

      The Supreme Court looks at whether a person can still face confiscation proceedings even if they were given a conditional discharge for the underlying offence.

    • R v Waya

      The Supreme Court held that in order to comply with A1P1 and s3(1) Human Rights Act 1998, Crown Court should not make disproportionate orders given the circumstances of an individual case.

    • RCPO v C

      A solicitor was cleared of six counts of money laundering in January of this year, after a judge ruled that a fair trial was impossible due to delays in bringing the prosecution.

    • Shah v HSBC

      The High Court has issued a decision dismissing civil claims from clients as a result of complying with reporting obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

    • Shah v HSBC - an update

      The Queen's Bench Division has dismissed Mr Shah's claims for damages against HSBC Private Bank (UK) Ltd (HSBC) for over US$300m.

    • UMBS Online Ltd and SOCA

      The Court of Appeal upheld four convictions for conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime, namely profits from drug trafficking

  • Other cases

    Pulvers (a firm) v Chan & Others

    This case highlights the liability of partners in firms where mortgage fraud has occurred, and their ability to claim against individual employees who have been actively involved in the fraud.
    Pulvers v Chan & Others on the BAILII website

    R v NW and others

    This case considers whether the Crown must prove what type of criminal conduct generated the benefit represented by criminal property in money laundering case.
    R v NW & Others on the BAILII website