Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made on securing the £4 million settlement between the National Crime Agency and Suleyman Javadov; whether the location of these funds has been identified; and what plans his Department has for the (a) management and (b) disposal of these funds.

The NCA made an application for forfeiture at Westminster Magistrates Court on 28 May 2020 under s303Z14 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). The Order was granted by the court with the consent of all parties. The total amount forfeited was £4,066,480.11.

As the funds were recovered under POCA the funds entered the HO Asset Recovery Insentivisation Scheme (ARIS). ARIS is a discretionary funding model that’s objective is to provide agencies (prosecuting, investigating and enforcement) with incentives to use POCA powers to pursue asset recovery with the overall aim of cutting crime and delivering justice. ARIS receipts are split 50:50 between operational partners involved in the asset recovery process, and central government.

Further information on ARIS can be found at: Asset recovery statistical bulletin: financial years ending 2018 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)