The Law Officers regularly meet the Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the senior leadership team to discuss the SFO’s progress in tackling the top-level of serious or complex fraud, bribery, and corruption. The SFO is continuing to deliver significant results in cases of complex fraud. The 2022/23 financial year will see the SFO prosecute seven cases in court, five of which involve complex fraud. Three of these trials have already concluded, resulting in four fraudsters being convicted and sentenced to a total of 48 years in prison and justice being delivered to thousands of victims. I have included further details below:

• Andrew Skeene and Junie Bowers, who were behind a fraudulent “green” investment scheme that took in approximately £37 million of fraudulent investments from around 2,000 victims, were convicted and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment.
• David Ames, who was behind a £226 million fraud that deceived over 8,000 UK investors, was convicted and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
• Timothy Schools, who was behind a “no-win-no-fee” fraud that scammed £100 million from around 500 investors, was convicted sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.