Annabel Kerley, Partner

She 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 & 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, to law firms and regulators, on fraud investigation, asset-tracing and whistleblowing.

Experience

Corporate fraud investigations; asset tracing; bribery and corruption investigations; criminal defence; Proceeds of Crime Act; regulatory investigations; private prosecutions; sanctions; anti-bribery & corruption; DPA Monitorships

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

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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

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Why UK businesses should act now to prevent internal fraud

Internal fraud can be a big problem for all businesses and organisations, whatever their size. It can cause significant financial loss and reputational damage, sometimes culminating in the entity’s total collapse. This series of articles considers how internal fraud happens, what organisations can do to prevent it, and how to detect and respond to instances of fraud.

Insight Tax

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