News

International Fraud Awareness Week: How we work with other countries

At the Serious Fraud Office we’re marking International Fraud Awareness Week by celebrating staff who lead our international efforts. Louise van der Straeten OBE, Senior Lawyer in the International Assistance Team, shares what she does and the importance of engaging with international partners to tackle fraud and major economic crime.

Changes to reporting fraud to the SFO

The Serious Fraud Office is working with City of London police to make it easier for victims to report fraud. From Monday 28th October 2024, all fraud referrals – unless from companies or whistleblowers – should be made to Action Fraud, either online or via the call centre on 0300 123 2040.

Counsel Panel Refresh 2024

The SFO chooses its counsel from an approved panel and is required to refresh the list every four years. This year the panel is open for applications from 11th October 2024 until the closing date at 11.59pm on Sunday 3rd November 2024. 

SFO recovers further £295,000 from convicted fraudster’s hidden pensions

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has recovered a further £295,000 from Virendra Rastogi, now known as Vareen Kumar or Veerain Kumarr, who was convicted for an international metal trading scam. 

Serious Fraud Office welcomes two new non-executive directors

The Serious Fraud Office is today announcing the appointment of two new board members, Caroline Firstbrook and Simon McKinnon CB CBE.

Six former Glencore employees appear in court charged with bribery offences

Today, six former employees of commodities giant Glencore appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with conspiring to make corrupt payments to benefit their company’s oil operations in West Africa.

SFO seizes 12 suspected luxury watches linked to care home investigation

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today executed a search warrant and seized 12 potentially luxury watches at a home in Dorset as part of a proceeds of crime investigation, related to a suspected £76 million care home fraud.

Interim Chief Capability Officer, Freya Grimwood at Cambridge International Symposium 2024

On Monday 2nd September 2024, Interim Chief Capability Officer Freya Grimwood delivered a keynote speech at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime. 

SFO charges five former Glencore employees

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today charged Alex Beard, Andrew Gibson, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and Martin Wakefield with conspiring to make corrupt payments in order to benefit commodities giant Glencore’s oil operations in West Africa.

Annual Report & Accounts 2023-24

I am pleased to present the Annual Report and Accounts for the Serious Fraud Office for the reporting year 2023-24.

SFO secures conviction of investment manager for £100 million no-win-no-fee fraud

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today secured the conviction of former investment manager David Kennedy for his part in a £100 million investment fraud in which hundreds of people lost their savings, following a re-trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Serious Fraud Office Strategy 2024-2029

The Serious Fraud Office’s strategy, launched on 18th April 2024, sets our organisation’s direction, shaping our values, approach and goals over the next five years.