After years of debate – and despite a hostile judiciary – pressure is building to bring plea bargaining into UK fraud prosecution. But don’t expect an easy ride, says Kingsley Napley’s Michael Caplan QC
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was founded over 20 years ago to combat the increase in, and complexity of, fraud. Its task was straightforward: investigate and, if warranted, prosecute. Fast-forward two decades, and the world has moved on – globalisation, greater freedom of movement and unparalleled technological advances mean fraud prosecution must continue to modernise to keep apace.
