Simon has extensive experience in both domestic and international civil fraud with a particularly significant track record in cases involving Russia. He has become one of the go-to silks for Russian oligarchs when multi-billion pound deals have gone wrong.
Simon has acted for major liquidators on fraud cases and he has encountered a wide breadth of tax fraud for HMRC and liquidators. These cases have included high value MTIC/carousel frauds, failed tax scheme frauds, Ponzi schemes, excise duty frauds, corporation tax frauds and negligible tax value schemes.
His experience also extends to terrorist, gangland and extortion cases involving fraud by organised crime.
Simon has a particular knowledge of claims, including claims potentially running to in excess of £300 million, arising from Libor-rigging events and from related interest rate hedging product sales. He also has a particular interest in similar claims arising from Forex-rigging, and has developed substantial market knowledge in this context
Notable Civil Fraud cases
Devon Commercial v Barnett
Defence of two insolvency practitioners (receivers) in a collusion to take a sale at an undervalue of a factory. A two week trial in the Chancery Division.
IV fund and related litigation
This involved two cases interrelated to allegations of fraud in investments by Russian parties (the victims) where the UK party is alleged to have been defrauding circa £30 million.
Feeney v NatWest and others
This involved a Bribery/mis-selling case. It settled for the claimant client.
National Trust bank v Yurov
Assistance with pre-trial for one of the three former directors of National Bank Trust, one of Russia’s largest retail banks, against whom claims valued at over US$1 billion are being made in the Commercial Court as a result of the allegedly dishonest management of the bank. The claim was heard at a nine-week trial in late 2008 and was listed as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2017/18. $1.4 billion fraud.
Drelle v Motylev
This is a fraud investment case between two Russian individuals relating to Russian and CIF companies.
Gorbachev v Gorbachev
These involved two large fraud investigation cases of a value of over $1.5bn
Sychev v Gorbachev
Similar to the Gorbachev case above, an extensive fraud case in excessive of $70m
Confidential
This case relates to a Channel Islands Russian conspiracy case relating to patents, this consisted of advisory work.
Confidential
Concerns of fraud within a company that has been heavily invested in. An extensive forensic exercise and Shareholder pressure.
NGM v Phillip Wallis & ors
Acting for the Defendants in a six week trial in a £30-£50 million claim. The case dealt with fraud and conspiracy to remove a Patent for developing ‘can-float’ property technology.
AM Holdings Limited v Henderson Global Investors Limited
Successfully obtained an order for pre-action disclosure in the Chancery Division on behalf of the claimant, in relation to the purchase of the Leadenhall Triangle portfolio of properties in June 2011 for £188 million.
Devon Commercial Property v. Barnett and Belcher
Relating to fraudulent conduct allegation relating to factory units, on behalf of Defendant Fixed charge receivers.
