When is a Case Team formed?

Once a case is accepted, it is allocated to a multi-disciplinary team comprising lawyers, financial investigators, police officers, IT and other support staff.

The team is led by a case controller, an experienced lawyer, who is responsible for all aspects of the investigation and for any ensuing prosecution.

Police involvement in SFO cases

The police work with us as part of the case team. Fraud is a criminal offence and police fraud squads have their own specialist expertise. Police involvement in our investigations produces real benefits, combining their skills experience and local knowledge with our legal and financial investigation capability.

The Criminal Justice Act 1987 provides for the conduct of investigations by the SFO in conjunction with the police. The constitutional independence of the police, their accountability and their command structure remain unchanged by the establishment of the SFO or by the attachment of police officers to our cases.

Section 2 powers under the Criminal Justice Act 1987 may not be used by police officers