Keith Wood

Serious fraud, serious organised crime, asset confiscation, money laundering.

Partner responsible for the City office. Has defended many high-profile and complex prosecution brought by SFO; FSA; special casework CPS; SOCA; City of London fraud squad. Regularly ranked as leading individual, Chambers UK. VHCC supervisor. Recent and current cases: R v P and others – Ponzi fraud, value in excess of £100m, described as being the UK’s equivalent to the Madoff scheme; R v B and others a complex multi-handed money laundering/kidnap prosecution involving central plot to defraud the London clearing banks. Acted for lead defendant in Operation Pristina, a South Wales police investigation into an organised crime group: acting for one of the Directors of Kaupthing Bank in the high-profile failed SFO investigation following the collapse of the bank; R v K and another concerning a allegation of bribery and corruption of serving police officers investigating a substantial and high-profile fraud; R v B and others a major and high-profile land banking fraud; R v S, a contested confiscation hearing in which the defence successfully managed to convince the court that there were no “hidden” assets; R v M and S, in which the defendants received a suspended sentence for a major VAT missing trader fraud; R v J in which managed to secure pre-charge discontinuance for a director facing allegations of a fraudulent asset exchange scheme; Advising two city traders facing complex investigation for mis –selling and securing pre charge withdrawal; R v J in which Keith is acting for a director of a Legal Services Company facing allegation of theft of money and fraud; R v T in which secured a suspended sentence for a Deputy appointed by the Court of Protection facing prosecution for Fraud. In addition Keith is currently advising on a substantial fresh evidence appeal as well as a City trader facing investigation.

Hull University (1992 BA Hons); Westminster University (1993 CPE); College of Law Chester (1994 LPC).