Annabel Kerley
People

Annabel Kerley

Partner
+44 204 617 5386 London

Areas of expertise

Forensic services
Corporate fraud investigations, asset tracing, bribery and corruption investigations, criminal defence, Proceeds of Crime Act, regulatory investigations, private prosecutions, sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, DPA monitorships

Experience

Annabel has over 20 years’ experience as a forensic accountant and investigator. She acts for both claimants and defendants in civil, criminal and regulatory matters involving allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption.
During her career, Annabel has helped clients across multiple sectors (including financial services, retail, healthcare and technology and media) navigate high-stakes investigations into complex multi-million cross-border fraud, bribery and corruption cases.  
These investigations have involved asset misappropriation, employee misconduct, financial misstatement, sanctions breaches, market abuse and misleading statements in civil, regulatory and criminal contexts and in multiple jurisdictions.
In addition, Annabel has extensive experience of private prosecutions, including acting as an expert witness in the Criminal Court, and is currently Chair of the Private Prosecutors’ Association. 
She also has extensive experience in DPA monitorships, having led the Compliance and Anti-Financial Crime workstreams for the Department of Justice / SEC-appointed monitor to a global bank subject to a deferred prosecution agreement. 
Annabel regularly publishes thought leadership and speaks at conferences and to law firms and regulators on fraud investigation, asset-tracing and whistleblowing.
 

Notable client work and achievements

  • Instructed by the legal counsel to a sovereign state to investigate allegations concerning a multi-million dollar fraud stretching back 30 years
  • Led large-scale investigation into alleged breaches of regulatory sanctions by the UK operations of a Middle Eastern bank providing trade finance 
  • In a global asset tracing case, scrutinised banking and accounting data to identify assets recoverable from a $65 billion Ponzi scheme
  • When working for the FCA, Annabel was the lead investigator into a complex, international insider dealing ring

Professional qualifications/memberships

Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales
Graduate Diploma in Law
Chair of the Private Prosecutors’ Association
Advisory Panel member of the Association of Corporate Investigators
Secretary of the London chapter of the Women in White Collar Defence Association
Goal net

Article

When expertise is overlooked: Paquetá, the FA and a cautionary tale of investigation failure

As the Lucas Paquetá case shows, in today’s data-driven world, the success of an investigation can depend on whether independent analytics specialists are involved.

Insight Financial fraud
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Article

The Government continues to ramp up its efforts to tackle crime in the waste sector

The Government has announced new measures to tackle economic crime and money laundering in the waste sector. The Environment Agency has launched an Economic Crime Unit to investigate ‘waste crimes’ (such as fly-tipping and landfill tax evasion) and money laundering in the sector, and exercise powers to freeze and seize assets. The Unit will work with other law enforcement agencies such as the police and HMRC to gather intelligence and proactively pursue criminals.

Insight Tax
Read article

Contact Annabel