Alpha and Green Park companies

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is investigating the Alpha and Green Park group of companies for suspected fraud in relation to the companies’ student accommodation and holiday park developments.

The SFO suspects the Alpha-branded companies of fraudulently misleading investors into purchasing leaseholds for student accommodation in Leicestershire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire, Teeside, Tyneside, Lancashire and Cumbria. The Green Park-branded companies are suspected to be part of a similar scheme to sell leaseholds for holiday accommodation in Devon.

The full list of companies under investigation can be found at the bottom of this page.

As this is a live investigation, we can provide no further comment at this time.

Updates for investors

Investors update – 13 October 2022

The investigation into the Alpha and Green Park companies is still ongoing. As this is a live investigation, the SFO can provide no further comment at this time.

Please do not forget to update us if your contact details change or have changed since you completed a questionnaire.

Investors update – 12 May 2022

The questionnaire is now closed and results have been collated.

Over the summer we will be contacting a number of investors to obtain further information and to help assist us with our ongoing investigation.

Other lines of enquiry continue to be pursued and updates will be provided when appropriate. As this is a live investigation, the SFO can provide no further comment at this time.

Investors update – 16 December 2021

The initial deadline to return investor questionnaires to the Serious Fraud Office closed on Tuesday 30 November 2021.

We received a substantial number of replies and are currently collating the results.

If you provided information to us, we may be getting in touch to learn more about your response. Please note that that not everyone who sent us a questionnaire will be approached for further information.

If any UK-based investor has not yet filled in a questionnaire and wishes to do so, please contact us at NUD01.Investors@sfo.gov.uk. This email should contain your name, address and contact number.

The Serious Fraud Office is committed to supporting victims of fraud, and we invite those who believe they have been a victim in connection with this investigation to check this page for updates and for information on the support services we provide.

Investors update – 29 September 2021

As part of this investigation, the SFO is asking UK-based investors into the suspected fraudulent schemes to complete a questionnaire by 30 November 2021. The information provided will help us to establish the circumstances of the investments offered, to identify and pursue new information, and to progress the investigation as quickly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions and victim support services

What stage has the investigation reached?

On Wednesday, 29 September, following a six month covert investigation into the Alpha and Green Park businesses, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) carried out a series of co-ordinated raids, interviews and mandatory requests for evidence across the country.

Formal searches

Working with Cleveland Police, the SFO carried out a formal search on a residential property, arresting and interviewing one suspect. At the same time, the SFO also issued several Section 2 notices forcing companies to provide relevant information.

The initial deadline to return investor questionnaires to the Serious Fraud Office closed on Tuesday 30 November 2021.

We received a substantial number of replies and are currently collating the results. If you provided information to us, we may be getting in touch to learn more about your response. Please note that that not everyone who sent us a questionnaire will be approached for further information.

What do I do if I am a UK based investor but have not been invited to complete a questionnaire?

If you believe you have invested in a scheme which is part of our investigation and have not been invited to fill out a questionnaire, please email us at NUD01.Investors@sfo.gov.uk. This email should contain your name, address and contact number.

What information is being sought by the questionnaire?

The questionnaire asks for information about the investor/s, and the details of their investment. There are some detailed questions about the investment so it would be helpful to have any documents relating to the investments to hand. There are also some questions about the investors’ personal circumstances. This is so we can assess if investors need any additional support from us. These questions are entirely voluntary. If investors who have been invited to complete the questionnaire are unable to, or would prefer not to complete the questionnaire in one attempt, it can be saved and returned to later.

How will the SFO use this information?

We will use the information investors provide to help progress the investigation. It will also help us to identify any investors from whom we may wish to obtain further information. Investors’ responses will be treated in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018.

Why are you only asking UK based investors to complete the questionnaire?

The SFO is not at this stage actively inviting investors based outside of the UK to complete the questionnaire or seeking to obtain evidence from them. Whilst this may be frustrating and may appear unsatisfactory to investors based overseas, it will enable the SFO to progress the investigation more quickly by focusing on investors based within the UK. Should it become necessary to obtain evidence from investors based outside of the UK, contact will be made at the appropriate time via the appropriate channels.

How long will this investigation take?

The SFO only takes on the most complex cases which can take a number of years to investigate. This investigation will involve reviewing a large volume of material and possibly working across different jurisdictions, and is expected to take some time. We endeavour to progress the investigation as expeditiously as possible and ask you to please be patient while we do so.

How will investors be updated?

We will endeavour to put regular updates on the case page of our website. For legal reasons, and to ensure the integrity of the investigation, we may be unable to provide investors with all the information they might want.

Should investors contact the SFO?

We encourage UK-based investors to complete the questionnaire and ask that we are informed of any changes of contact details. We will then contact investors should we need to do so after we have reviewed the questionnaires.

What should investors do with documents and correspondence relating to their investment?

Investors should retain and keep safe ALL documents, including hard copy documents and electronic correspondence, such as emails, they have in relation to their investment(s). Should we require any of this material we will contact investors and arrange with them the best and most secure way of getting it to us.

Should investors be sharing information with other investors?

We understand that there is a support network between fellow investors in this case, but please consider the possible dangers of sharing personal information and experience on public access online platforms. Sharing personal details could present opportunities for fraudsters and put investors at risk. For more information go to Get Safe Online.

How does the fact that many of the companies have entered into administration or liquidation impact the SFO investigation?

The administrators/liquidators will assess the assets of the companies and take appropriate recovery actions as detailed within their reports to creditors. The administrators/liquidators also have a duty to report their findings to the Department for Business.  The SFO will work closely with the administrators/liquidators, obtaining information and material from them as appropriate.

Will I get my investment back?

The administrators/liquidators will assess the company’s assets, undertake all appropriate recovery actions and distribute any monies to creditors in accordance with their statutory duties, as regards the respective administrations/liquidations.

One of the SFO’s strategic objectives is to deliver justice for victims and recover the proceeds of financial crime. If we obtain convictions and compensation is appropriate and possible, we will seek to return monies to victims, however in many instances there is insufficient money returned to fully compensate victims of financial crime.

What support services are available?

If you believe you have been a victim in connection with this investigation and need support for the impact it has had on you and your family, please click here for information on support services. If you would like the SFO to make a referral to your local Police and Crime Commissioner funded victim support service, please contact our Witness Care Team by emailing them at witness.care@sfo.gov.uk and they will arrange that on your behalf.

How we can help you:

We will endeavour to put regular updates on this case page of our website to let you know how this matter is progressing.

In the meantime, please:

• See our website for support information for victim support services and organisations that can provide financial advice.
• Keep safe any relevant material concerning your investment, as this may be required by us at a later stage.

Be aware that personal data you provide to the SFO in connection with this case will be handled in line with the General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018, and may be shared between investigating agencies for law enforcement purposes.

Companies under investigation

1. Alpha Holdings (GB) Limited
2. Alpha Properties (Leicester) Limited
3. Alpha Developments (Leicester) Limited
4. Alpha Developments (Preston) Limited
5. Alpha Developments (Stoke1) Limited
6. Alpha Developments (Bradford) Limited
7. Alpha Developments (Loughborough) Limited
8. Alpha Developments (Bradford2) Limited
9. Alpha Developments (Stoke) Limited
10. A1 Alpha Properties (Leicester) Limited
11. Alpha Student Management Limited
12. A1 Properties (Sunderland) Limited
13. Alpha Homes Leicester Limited
14. Alpha Projects (UK) Limited
15. Alpha Developments (Huddersfield) Limited
16. Alpha Developments (Stoke2) Limited
17. AGP Holdings Limited
18. Green Parks Finance Limited
19. Green Parks (Westward Ho!) Limited
20. Westbeach Invest Limited
21. Studyrooms Direct LLP
22. Westbeach Resort Limited
23. Green Parks (Holdings) Limited
24. Green Parks Holidays Limited
25. Green Parks Holdings (Ilfracombe) Limited
26. Green Parks Holidays (Ilfracombe) Limited

Schemes under investigation

1. Westbeach Holiday Park
2. 24-26 Norfolk Street
3. Park Lane House
4. Tudor Studios
5. College Street Village
6. The Foundry (Phases I and II)
7. Jubilee Court
8. Mandale Terrace
9. Q Studios
10. Scholars Village
11. Millfield House
12. The Box, Prestone
13. The Chapel, Ambleside
14. Scholars Court
15. Ilfracombe Holiday Village
16. Primrose Hill
17. Pre-tenanted (Hylton Road, Roker Avenue, Villette Road, Sunderland)