The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published its annual report on whistleblowing disclosures for 2024–25, in accordance with the Prescribed Persons (Reports on Disclosures of Information) Regulations 2017, SI 2017/507.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published details of the outcome of its prosecution against four individuals suspected of paying bribes to win contracts in the UK construction sector. Following the lifting of reporting restrictions, the SFO has updated its website to reveal that on 31 May 2022, Roger Dewhirst pleaded guilty to two counts of accepting or agreeing to receive bribes, totalling approximately £290,998 contrary to section 2(1) and (2) of the Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010). On 17 October 2022, Robb Simms-Davies, Nigel Wilson, and Dawn Dewhirst were acquitted of two counts of money laundering, contrary to section 328(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002). On 1 December 2022 Robb Simms-Davies and Nigel Wilson were acquitted of three counts of bribery contrary to s 1(1) and (2) of the BA 2010. On 24 January 2023, following a 15 week trial, Robb Simms-Davies and Nigel Wilson were acquitted of three counts of bribery contrary to s 1(1) and (2) of the BA 2010. Trevor Wright was acquitted of two counts of agreeing to receive bribes contrary to s 2(1) and (2) of the BA 2010. No sentencing date for Roger Dewhirst has been set.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published details of Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited’s (AWFEL’s) compliance with a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) between the two parties, issued on 1 July 2021. The SFO has noted that the DPA expired on 2 July 2024 and has detailed how AWFEL complied with its obligations under the DPA, on cooperation with the SFO, disgorgement of profit, paying the financial penalty, compensation and enhancement of its corporate compliance programme.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published a comprehensive set of documentation relating to its Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Serco Geografix Ltd. The package includes the full DPA, accompanying statement of facts, undertaking, judgment, and details of compliance.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published its strategy for 2024–2029 which sets out the organisation’s direction, values, approach and goals over the next five years. The strategy outlines the SFO’s four outcomes: to have a highly specialised, engaged and skilled workforce; to harness technology and tools of a changing world; to combat crime effectively through intelligence, enforcement and prevention; and to be a proactive, authoritative player in the global and domestic justice system.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has issued refreshed guidance explaining how it assesses the effectiveness of a corporate compliance programme in six different enforcement scenarios, aiming to provide businesses with a clearer understanding of how compliance standards will influence enforcement decisions.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published a speech on 2 September 2024 by Freya Grimwood, the Interim Chief Capability Officer. Grimwood is responsible for strategy, skills, resourcing and systems. The speech was delivered at the Cambridge International Symposium on economic crime.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published the speech given by its director, Nick Ephgrave, at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on 13 February 2024. Ephgrave discussed the history of the SFO, what the SFO does and reflected on challenges faced by the SFO. Ephgrave stated that the SFO will play a greater role in the national effort against fraud and find ways for the SFO to support the Fraud Strategy as an active member of the 'Stop! Think Fraud' campaign. Under Ephgrave's leadership, a rigorous and intrusive review process on active cases will be introduced to ensure focus on core issues in its cases. Ephgrave reported that the SFO is involved in a joint endeavour with the NCA regarding organised criminals conducting fraudulent activity in foreign jurisdictions. Ephgrave said that 'the SFO will become an organisation that is characterised by its strength, its dynamism, its confidence and its pragmatism.'

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has commented on the Autumn Budget 2024 providing further funding for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The allocation of an additional £9.3m is aimed at putting together a new asset confiscation enforcement team and upgrading SFO's disclosure capabilities.

Corporate Crime analysis: Simon Ray, criminal barrister at 6KBW College Hill, points out that the case of SFO v Saleh illustrates the willingness and ability of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to obtain civil recovery orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002), where the only connection to the UK is that the money was held in a UK bank account.

Law360: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on 11 January 2024 that it has secured a payment of £220,000 (US$280,000) from an Australian businessman dubbed the 'Wolf of Wimbledon', who was imprisoned for orchestrating one of the largest boiler-room frauds to hit the UK.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has announced its Annual Report and Accounts for the reporting year 2023-2024. This year the SFO have carried out 15 site searches and have arrested 15 individuals. As well as taking three cases to trial this year, the SFO have opened six criminal investigations and taken the decision to close a further six following rigorous discussions and application of the Code Test.