In September 2011, Mr Redmond Johnson pleaded guilty to his role in a £8 million fraud which pressured investors into buying shares in a bio-diesel company called Worldwide Bio Refineries. Mr Johnson was sentenced to three years in prison following his agreement to provide evidence for the prosecution.
Mr Johnson was taken ill on the day that the confiscation hearing was due to take place and died shortly after and therefore no Confiscation Order was made by the court. Despite Mr Johnson’s death, investigations continued and the Serious Fraud Office was able to link large amounts of Mr Johnson’s estate to his fraudulent activities.
The Serious Fraud Office pursued the application and has been successful in obtaining a Civil Recovery Order in the High Court which means they can recover £64,000 from Mr Johnson’s estate even after his death.
Confiscation Proceedings against his co-defendants are still ongoing.
By Victoria Tague
- At Stephensons we understand that confiscation proceedings can be a very complex matter and can involve detailed consideration of large amounts of documentation. We believe that for anyone facing confiscation proceedings, it is important that the legal team has the requisite experience to ensure that our clients’ assets are protected. Our Proceeds of Crime team has expertise in all areas pertaining to financial asset recovery and we will fight to protect those assets that should not come within these orders.
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