Account freezing orders come under scrutiny as Rahman Ravelli hosts civil recovery webinar

All aspects of account freezing orders were analysed in detail at Rahman Ravelli’s webinar on civil recovery.

The December 10 event, “The Rise of Account Freezing Orders - and the Implications. Criminal Practice in a Civil Age.’’, involved Rahman Ravelli’s Nicola Sharp and barrister Jonathan Lennon from Doughty Street Chambers assessing account freezing orders (AFOs) and the most notable High Court civil recovery cases.

It was held with the intention of helping those in the legal, business and finance sectors obtain the information they will require if they are involved in a civil action brought by a criminal law enforcement agency.

The webinar examined closely the use of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) by law enforcement agencies. Nicola and Jonathan also dissected the use of civil recovery orders and account forfeiture orders; including how AFOs are used at the start of the account forfeiture order process. They talked in detail about how an AFO is obtained and how one can be challenged.
Use of property freezing orders and disclosure orders was explained to the international online audience. The two speakers also outlined the procedure for seeking variation of an order so that an individual has funds available to cover their expenses.

The concept of recoverable property and definitions contained in Part 5 of POCA were addressed. Statistics for confiscation, the use of unexplained wealth orders and the impact of Covid-19 were also covered.