Martin Lee is a Criminal defence specialist focusing on defending serious fraud, related money laundering and subsequent confiscation and enforcement proceedings. In particular many of the most serious and complex cases brought by the Crown Prosecution Proceeds of Crime Unit, the Crown Prosecution Service Organised Crime Division, Serious Organised Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, City of London Police Fraud Unit, HM Revenue and Customs, Department of Work and Pensions, Local Authorities and the Financial Conduct Authority.

The areas of work covered include advising on Restraint proceedings and management receivership, Registration & enforcement of Overseas Restraint Orders, Advice on Investigations into Criminal proceeds, Money laundering, Civil recovery of the proceeds of unlawful conduct, Confiscation proceedings, Cash forfeiture, asset forfeiture, cash seizure & and detention of cash, Incompatibility with Convention Rights and Council Framework Decisions, Confiscation order enforcement proceedings and variations thereon, Serious Crime Prevention orders, advising third parties on provision of information orders.

Expertise in Account Freezing Orders and Account Forfeiture Orders arising out of the Criminal Finance  Act 2017 – these are now being used as an alternative to pursuing a conviction and confiscation . Can you afford for your personal or business bank account to be frozen for a year at first instance ?

The first to be involved in confiscation  orders pursuant to section 28 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 where subject to qualifying conditions an individual  is neither convicted or acquitted , perhaps by staying out of the jurisdiction , but nevertheless confiscation bites.