SFO secures first conviction of an individual for DPA-related conduct but challenges remain

11 April, 2023
In early March 2023, the Serious Fraud Office (the "SFO") secured its first conviction of an individual in connection with conduct subject to a deferred prosecution agreement ("DPA"). Whilst undoubtedly a success for the SFO, the conviction is the only one of its type to date, despite the SFO having entered into 12 DPAs since the introduction of the DPA regime in 2014, and it arose from a guilty plea rather than the completion of a contested trial. Read more

Corporate Crime update – Winter 2021

22 December, 2021
Welcome to the Winter 2021 edition of our corporate crime update – our round up of developments in relation to corruption, money laundering, fraud, sanctions and related matters. Our update now covers a number of jurisdictions. Read more

Petrofac Ltd ordered to pay £77 million following a guilty plea to bribery offences

19 October, 2021
On 4 October 2021, Petrofac Limited (“Petrofac”) was ordered to pay £77 million following the company’s guilty plea to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery in contravention of section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010 (the “Section 7 offence”). The sentencing, which took place at Southwark Crown Court on 1 and 4 October 2021, follows a four-year investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (“SFO”) into Petrofac’s historical use of agents and marks the third prosecution of a Section 7 offence in the courts of England and Wales. Read more

Corporate Crime update – Summer 2021

20 September, 2021
Welcome to the Summer 2021 edition of our corporate crime update – our round up of developments in relation to corruption, money laundering, fraud, sanctions and related matters. Our update now covers a number of jurisdictions. Read more

SFO Secures Two Further DPAs

23 July, 2021
On 19 July 2021, the High Court approved two separate deferred prosecution agreements (the "DPAs") between the UK Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and two UK-based companies (the "Companies") for active participation in, and failure to prevent, bribery pursuant to sections 1 and 7 of the Bribery Act 2010. Read more

Ten Not Out! – SFO Secures Its Tenth DPA (Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd)

19 July, 2021
On 1 July 2021, coincidentally the tenth anniversary of the UK's Bribery Act coming into force, the UK's tenth deferred prosecution agreement ("DPA") was approved between the UK Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited ("AFWEL"), a UK-based global engineering company. In this briefing, we provide an overview of the recent AFWEL DPA and discuss three key takeaways from Lord Justice Edis's judgment approving the DPA. Read more

Corporate Crime update – May 2021

14 June, 2021
Welcome to the May 2021 edition of our corporate crime update – our round up of developments in relation to corruption, money laundering, fraud, sanctions and related matters. Our update now covers a number of jurisdictions. Read more