At the Old Bailey, solicitor William Osmond faced sentencing for obstructing a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) money laundering investigation tied to a £4 million loan for a Mayfair house purchase. The director of Osmond & Osmond Solicitors Ltd received a suspended nine-month prison term for tipping off his client, James Redding Ramsay, about the SFO inquiry. Osmond was also found guilty of forging a "Letter of Engagement" related to his role in the property transaction.
Osmond's transgressions were unveiled during an SFO raid in April 2019, exposing hand-written notes and computer files detailing his actions. This case marked the first instance of the SFO prosecuting a solicitor for "tipping off" a client after receiving an information notice. Matthew Wagstaff, joint head of fraud, bribery, and corruption at the SFO, underscored the severity of Osmond's breach, stating that he abused his professional standing to knowingly break the law. Wagstaff reaffirmed the SFO's commitment to pursuing legal action against those obstructing investigations, emphasizing that accountability applies to all. In addition to the suspended sentence, Osmond was mandated to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and contribute £5000 towards the SFO's costs
SOURCE: SFO UK | DECEMBER 06 2023
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