PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[gordondaviesmoustache]

As the SFO is a publicly funded operation, they subject to Freedom of Information requests from the general public
Anyone want to make such a request if they had received a referral to investigate the City fraud allegations?

Stages of a case​

Intelligence gathering or “pre-investigation” stage

The SFO receives information on possible criminal activity from a variety of sources, including whistleblowers, victims, other law enforcement agencies, the media, corporations themselves (“self reports”), and those in competition with them. This information is analysed and the potential for the alleged activity to become the subject of a criminal investigation is assessed by our Intelligence Unit, a team of intelligence operatives, lawyers, accredited financial intelligence officers, analysts and investigators.

The Intelligence Unit also undertakes its own research and proactively develops information. The unit has unique pre-investigation powers available under Section 2A of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 that are used to help determine whether to commence an investigation where it appears bribery and corruption may have taken place.

The Director can accept a case for criminal investigation if, in his judgment, it meets his Statement of Principle and if he considers there are reasonable grounds to suspect serious or complex fraud.

Investigation and prosecution

Once a case is accepted by the Director, investigators and lawyers work together from the start. This way of working is known in the UK as the Roskill model and is an exception to the normal practice in this country, in which crime is generally investigated by a police force and the evidence passed to the CPS to decide whether to prosecute. The SFO was set up differently because our cases need strong cooperation and management from both lawyers and investigators all the way through, to make sure that the lines of investigation are the best ones to uncover criminal activity, and eventually prove it in court.

Deferred Prosecution Agreements

If the investigation results in enough evidence to a support a realistic prospect of conviction, and if a prosecution is considered to be in the public interest, charges will be normally be brought. Alternatively the Director of the SFO may consider inviting a company to enter negotiations for a Deferred Prosecution Agreement. The SFO’s first DPA was with Standard Bank in 2015. Subsequent DPAs were agreed with Sarclad Ltd in 2016 and with Rolls-Royce and Tesco in 2017. In 2019, DPAs were agreed with Serco Geografix Ltd and Güralp Systems Ltd. In 2020, a DPAs were agreed with Airbus SE, G4S Care & Justice Services (UK) Ltd and Airline Services Ltd. In 2021, a DPA was agreed with Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited and with two companies for Bribery Act offences.

Trial

If we decide to prosecute the alleged criminals, there will often be a court trial.

How to make a Freedom of Information request​

1. Read about the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and how to make a request.

2. Check to see whether the information you would like to request is already available. The SFO already publishes information relating to its:

• Active and previous cases on its website;
• Performance, case data, and finances in its Annual Report and Accounts;
• Purchasing and commercial contracts on GOV.UK’s Contracts Finder;
• Workforce and human resources through Civil Service statistics.

3. Consider whether the information you would like to request is a matter of court record, which would mean the SFO cannot release it in response to an FOI request. You may instead wish to apply directly to the relevant court to request such information, details of which are available here.

4. Make a new request by contacting us on: information.officer@sfo.gov.uk

Under section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 investigations and proceedings by public authorities are exempt from FOI requests.

​

 

[halfcenturyup]

Not really. If you wanted to you could say they didn’t feel they needed any further time on the key witnesses because they got what they wanted. I just don’t think you can read anything into it based on that rumour

Yep. We had a rumour that it was going to take six weeks, then a rumour it was going to take ten weeks and now we have a rumour that it isn't going to take the rumoured ten weeks. Basically, we still know nothing.

And even if we believe the latest rumour because of the source, we have no idea what it means although, of course, we all want it to be good news.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Yep. We had a rumour that it was going to take six weeks, then a rumour it was going to take ten weeks and now we have a rumour that it isn't going to take the rumoured ten weeks. Basically, we still know nothing.

And even if we believe the latest rumour because of the source, we have no idea what it means although, of course, we all want it to be good news.

I’ve previously questioned the provenance of this ten week time limit, which seemed long to me. Six weeks seems about right fwiw.

 

[cityontheup]

Wenger believes City are not guilty of anything of a serious nature and at the most expects a fine only maybe a few points deducted if they are indeed found guilty if anything. The red cartel want be too pleased about that

We won’t take a pinch this time

 

[eastmanc]

Yep. We had a rumour that it was going to take six weeks, then a rumour it was going to take ten weeks and now we have a rumour that it isn't going to take the rumoured ten weeks. Basically, we still know nothing.

And even if we believe the latest rumour because of the source, we have no idea what it means although, of course, we all want it to be good news.

I think if it was going really well for the Premier League then they would be leaking information about the case like a sieve.

 

[Plays By Sense Of Smell]

Interesting insight into your search history

My fingers must have slipped...as evidenced by the quality of my post!