Law360, London: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will fight on 29 September 2025 to hold on to its largest-ever seizure of cash as part of the first-ever legal challenge contesting the agency's powers to confiscate allegedly tainted money.

Law360, London: A judge ruled on 31 January 2025 that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) could proceed with efforts to hold a seismic technology company liable for breaching its corporate bribery settlement, in its first-ever attempt to enforce the terms of a suspended prosecution agreement.

Law360: A former senior London police officer with a background in economic crime has been tapped to oversee the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) strategy, reuniting with his former chief as director Nick Ephgrave fills the vacant role on his executive team.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has held Michael Thomson, former CEO of collapsed investment firm London Capital & Finance, and his wife in contempt of court after they admitted to multiple breaches of a restraint order. Thomson admitted to two reckless breaches while his wife admitted to four breaches, involving receiving a £2,000 holiday refund and selling items worth nearly £5,800. The breaches occurred while Thomson was serving a suspended sentence for a previous breach involving transferring £95,000 to his wife. The restraint order was imposed as part of the SFO's ongoing investigation into suspected fraud and money laundering at LCF, where 11,000 investors lost over £237m between 2014 and 2019. Both are scheduled for sentencing on 12 March 2026.

What are the powers under section 3 CJA 1987? Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 (CJA 1987) provides information sharing gateways to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), under which it may disclose information that it has received pursuant to its statutory powers in the course of an investigation to other government bodies in specified circumstances. This includes information received pursuant to its compulsory investigation powers under CJA 1987, s 2. For more information, see Practice Notes: Section 2 notices requiring production of documents and Interviews under the Criminal Justice Act 1987, s 2. There is no express prohibition imposed by CJA 1987, or otherwise, against the disclosure of material obtained in exercise of the SFO’s investigation powers, however disclosure must comply with the criteria set out at CJA 1987, s 3. CJA 1987, s 3(1) provides that where any information to which an obligation of confidentiality applies has been disclosed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to any member of the SFO for the purposes of prosecuting an offence relating to a

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published guidance establishing that corporates who self-report wrongdoing and fully cooperate can expect to negotiate a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) rather than face prosecution. The guidance introduces a secure reporting portal and sets specific timeframes for SFO responses, including 48-hour initial contact and six-month investigation decisions. It defines genuine cooperation criteria and forms part of the SFO's broader initiative to enhance fraud investigation processes, including planned whistleblower incentives and disclosure reform.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has joined the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), expanding its capacity to investigate cross-border corruption. Based within the National Crime Agency, the IACCC brings together international law enforcement agencies to tackle grand corruption across multiple jurisdictions. The move follows SFO's recent establishment of a tri-national taskforce with French and Swiss authorities. Since its launch in 2017, the IACCC has identified £1.8bn of suspected stolen assets and supported asset freezing across multiple jurisdictions. The partnership aims to enhance the SFO's ability to gather intelligence on  companies and individuals suspected of corruption overseas, particularly in cases involving politically exposed persons.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has initiated an investigation into suspected bribery and corruption involving the multi-national aviation and defence electronics group Thales. This probe is being conducted jointly with the French authority Parquet National Financier (PNF), with each agency operating within its respective jurisdiction. The investigation targets Thales Group, headquartered in Paris, whose UK subsidiary employs over 7,000 staff across 16 sites. SFO director, Nick Ephgrave QPM, highlighted the importance of international collaboration in combating corruption, emphasising the longstanding relationship between the SFO and PNF. The agencies have informed Thales of the investigation and are committed to rigorously pursuing all avenues in their inquiry into these serious allegations.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched a fraud and bribery investigation into the former management of Home REIT, a UK listed social housing company, involving suspected offending valued at approximately £300m. The SFO conducted searches at seven locations across Altrincham, Maidenhead, London and Manchester, resulting in six arrests. Italy’s Guardia di Finanza also assisted with a related search in Venice. Home REIT, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2020, raised over £850m during its first three years of trading by selling investment in properties intended to accommodate rough sleepers, veterans and individuals with addiction issues, primarily through publicly funded charities and Community Interest Companies. Trading in the company’s shares was suspended in January 2023 following an investor report published in November 2022 that raised concerns about property valuations and tenant rent payment capabilities.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has announced the opening of an investigation into suspected fraud against Thurrock Council by Rockfire Investment Finance Plc. The SFO has issued section 2 notices to financial institutions regarding investments made between 2016-2020, when the council invested in solar farm bonds through Rockfire's scheme offering 3-6% returns. Rockfire has since entered administration, while Thurrock Council declared bankruptcy in December 2022. The investigation is being conducted with support from Essex Police and Thurrock Council.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has initiated an investigation into a suspected organised crime network operating a complex timeshare services scheme. The SFO has made multiple arrests and conducted property raids across England, with assistance from the National Crime Agency and local police forces. The alleged fraud, occurring between January 2018 and September 2024, involved cold calling victims to offer timeshare exit services or compensation for upfront fees, with no services subsequently provided. The SFO has identified 20 companies potentially involved in the scheme and is appealing for public information through an online questionnaire to further their investigation.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an international bribery investigation into UK company Blu-3 and former associates of Mace Group regarding alleged bribes exceeding £3m related to a Microsoft data centre construction project in the Netherlands. On 30 April 2025, the SFO executed searches at five properties across London, Kent, Surrey and Somerset, making three arrests. The operation included a coordinated premises search in Monaco. The investigation, supported by the National Crime Agency (NCA), involves allegations of bribery payments made by Blu-3 individuals to former Mace Group associates. The Solicitor General attended one arrest in North London.