The Criminal Finances Act 2017: why UWOs and tax evasion are not what really matter

David Corker (+44 (0)20 7353 6000, dc@corkerbinning.com) is a partner at law firm Corker Binning, which specialises in business crime and fraud, regulatory litigation and general criminal work of all types.

Along with more publicised provisions, the United Kingdom’s new legislation allows for the freezing and forfeiture of recoverable or unlawful money held in bank and building society accounts. Yet David Corker fears that law enforcement will succumb to temptation to perceive this enlarged summary seizure regime as a simple means of looking effective in the financial crime arena.