Christopher Sykes

Christopher specialises in civil and criminal matters of financial crime, confiscation, and professional discipline.

He prosecutes and defends in large-scale trials concerning fraud and money laundering. He is currently instructed as junior counsel and disclosure counsel for the Financial Conduct Authority in two complex criminal investigations. He has experience acting for the defence on behalf of corporations under criminal investigation, including in the context of the Grenfell Inquiry.

He has wide experience representing government bodies, individuals, and victims whose interests have been affected by financial wrongdoing. He frequently appears in court on behalf of applicants and respondents in matters concerning account freezing orders, forfeiture, contested variations, and receiverships. His work for financial regulators has involved secondments with the Bank of England and HMRC where he has advised on financial regulation and money laundering. He is Panel C counsel for the Serious Fraud Office.

His experience in the field of professional discipline means he is well-placed to advise individuals and regulators whose cases fall at the intersection of the criminal and regulatory jurisdictions. He has extensive experience advising and appearing for healthcare regulators and registrants in interim and substantive proceedings as well as before the High Court. He appears before the Council for Licensed Conveyancers in cases arising from breach of money laundering regulations.