Ethical Forestry Limited

The Director of the SFO opened an investigation into the tree based investment schemes run by the Ethical Group that included Ethical Forestry Limited in December 2016.

The Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance Department has also opened a confiscation investigation into all suspects.

The investigation is ongoing and we are unable to comment on the current status of a criminal investigation.

Investors who meet the following criteria may be able to claim compensation from the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (“FSCS”) if:

1. The investment was via a Self-Invested Personal Pension Plan (SIPP);
2. They were advised by an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) who is no longer in business;
3. The IFA was registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

For further information please visit the FSCS website at https://claims.fscs.org.uk/.

Investors questionnaire

The SFO encourages those who have not already done so to complete a questionnaire if you have invested in these schemes.

The questionnaire can be found at https://sfovla.egressforms.com/.

Once a questionnaire is submitted we will be in contact if further information is required.

Should you have any queries or require assistance completing our questionnaire, please contact our dedicated Support Officer, Anamica Roy on tel: 020 7239 7258 or email: ethical@sfo.gsi.gov.uk.

For legal reasons the SFO cannot comment on individual cases nor respond to every enquiry for information. Investors may wish to contact their financial advisor and/or seek independent legal advice if they are concerned about their investment.

Retention of Documents

Investors in Ethical Forestry Ltd should advise the SFO if they have any documents relating to their investment. This includes any documents or correspondence held in an electronic format, for example emails. Please do not dispose or destroy any of this information as it may be valuable to our investigation.