UK sets out overseas compensation framework

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), National Crime Agency (NCA) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have agreed a framework to speed up compensation claims from overseas victims of economic crime.

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“Under these principles we have committed to ensuring that the question of compensation is considered in every case and to using all available legal mechanisms to secure it whenever appropriate,” the three agencies said in a joint statement.

“We have also committed to working collaboratively across government to identify potential victims and utilise suitable means to return money in a transparent manner that minimises the risk of re-corruption.”

Victims can be governments, companies or individuals.

The SFO’s head of proceeds of crime, Elizabeth Baker said: “Economic crime is corrosive wherever it occurs. It causes harm to some of the world’s poorest people. Where such conduct is proved in a UK court and the proceeds of the criminality are recovered, it is right that we work collaboratively across government to secure its return.

“The CPS, NCA and SFO worked together to agree how we can best do this: transparently, consistently, and in a way which develops and shares best practice.”

The SFO and the NCA, working with the CPS, have secured £49.2m ($65m €56m) total compensation for overseas victims since 2014.