Andrew Wheeler QC
Year of call
1988
Silk
2017
Instructing Andrew Wheeler QC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Andrew Wheeler QC is head of the Financial Crime (Fraud, Financial Services and Regulatory) Team at 7BR Chambers, London, and is ranked in financial crime/fraud by the Legal 500 and by Chambers & Partners
Andrew has extensive experience in relation to the defence and prosecution of serious fraud, associated money laundering and proceeds of crime restraint/confiscation, and compliance/regulatory matters – and has a detailed knowledge of evidence gathering from, and asset tracing through, multiple jurisdictions. Andrew is regularly instructed by leading defence firms, by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Insolvency Service, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and CPS Complex Casework/Specialist Fraud Division.
His experience extends in particular to Bribery & Corruption, Company Investigations, Insolvency and Tax fraud, and to issues of Insider Dealing. He regularly advises the UK and offshore & International sectors in respect of financial crime, anti-money laundering and associated regulatory & compliance issues.
Andrew has conducted seminars in respect of Money Laundering/AML – in the UK, including specifically for the UK Serious Fraud Office & UK Insolvency Service – and also for a number of offshore and international jurisdictions, including the Caribbean, Hong Kong, Cyprus, the Channel Islands & the Isle of Man. He has also conducted seminars in a number of jurisdictions in respect of key aspects of digital fraud investigations, cyber crime and cryptocurrency, and internal/corporate investigations.
Andrew is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme
In addition to his financial crime work, Andrew has had significant involvement in general crime, and has been instructed to defend in cases involving murder, attempted murder and other offences against the person, drugs, firearms, health and safety and sexual offences.
Legal Expertise
Financial Crime & AML
Financial Crime & AML
Notable Financial Crime & AML cases
C
Advising Hong Kong private client re ongoing proceedings.
S
Advising offshore private client re ongoing financial proceedings re trust structure/s.
T
Advising offshore private client in the regulated sector re ongoing proceedings relating to alleged money laundering & terrorist financing.
S
Advising offshore corporate in relation to AML, Internal Investigation, Privilege and associated.
R v A
£1bn offshore investment investigation conducted by the SFO.
R v AB
Representing former Company CFO charged with £multi-million fraud in a private prosecution.
R v JF
£multi-million Insolvency Fraud & Money Laundering Investigation.
R v H & Others
Proceeds of $billion overseas bribery and corruption investigation traced through complex multi-jurisdiction offshore trust structures.
Operation P
£multi-bn offshore corruption Investigation conducted by the NCA.
Operation S
Systematic abuse of charities and shell companies for the purposes of high value tax evasion.
Operation J
£multi million VAT investigation conducted by HMRC, involving 25 defendants.
R v P & others
£multi-million Investigation into tax fraud, mortgage fraud and money laundering relating to a faith healer and associates
Operation R: £25m Tax fraud/s and associated money laundering/Perverting Course of Justice.
Operation L
Co-ordinating investigations nationwide arising from the £280 million collapse of the DfES individual learning account scheme.
Operation D
The largest investigation by HMRC into tax fraud in the construction industry.
Operation Dgn
£multi-million Income Tax Pension Fraud devised and implemented by accountants acting as Trustees and Administrators of pension schemes – investigated by HMRC, FCA & tPR.
Offshore & International
Offshore & International
Notable Offshore & International cases
Re C
Advising Hong Kong private client re ongoing commercial proceedings.
Re S
Advising offshore private client re ongoing financial proceedings re trust structure/s.
Re T
Advising offshore private client in the regulated sector re ongoing proceedings relating to alleged money laundering and terrorist financing.
Re S
Advising offshore corporate in relation to AML, Internal Investigation, Privilege and associated.
Re L
Advising Hong Kong Private Client re Hong Kong SFC investigation.
Operation P
£multi-bn offshore corruption Investigation conducted by NCA.
H & Ors
$Billion Overseas Corruption investigation conducted by the SFO, involving defining parameters of the defence of Principal’s Consent, and jurisdiction/extended-jurisdiction issues.
C & Others
Proceeds of substantial predicate £multi-million conspiracy to defraud laundered through corporate structures & properties in Eastern Europe.
S & Others
Proceeds of substantial £multi-million conspiracy to Cheat through offshore structures in Far East & IOM.
F & Others
Proceeds of £multi-million predicate tax & mortgage frauds, through India & UK.
Re T
Substantial Banking Fraud. Proceeds routed through offshore shell companies & repatriated to UK registered companies/entities.
Advising Offshore & international businesses generally re AML, compliance, internal investigations, privilege and funding issues.
Advising generally re tracing of assets through offshore & international company, trust & related structures – & through multiple jurisdictions.
Asset Recovery
Asset Recovery
Notable Asset Recovery cases
D & Ors
Multi-million Conspiracy to Defraud UK investors based offshore. Assets traced through accounts in multiple offshore jurisdictions during substantial financial investigation.
S & Others
Evidence gathered from & assets traced through Vietnham, China, USA & Europe arising from £17 million education fraud.
H & Others
Proceeds of $billion overseas bribery and corruption investigation traced through complex multi-jurisdiction offshore trust structures.
TS & Others
Proceeds of £multi-million series of tax frauds and money laundering traced through shell companies and offshore structures.
F & Others
Proceeds of £multi-million tax and property frauds & money laundering. Assets traced through corporate and personal accounts, and to Pakistan.
S & Others
Series of £multi-million payroll companies restrained, & appointment of supervising accountants to review and report upon the restraint orders. Regular reporting. Advising upon nature and scope of potential breaches. Piercing corporate veil. Assets removed from jurisdiction through complex offshore structures. Advising accordingly re potential contempt/PCJ
K & Ors
Systematic breaches of restraints by use of corporate & offshore structures, including through the Caribbean, to remove assets from administrators. Advising on scope of potential breaches and liability thereof. Advising upon and appearing before the Court of appeal re authority for scope of Contempt and/or perverting the course of justice in respect of alleged breach of restraint orders.
B & Ors
Asset tracing through multiple jurisdictions following collapse of Plc company. Piercing corporate veil. Tainted gifts to third parties in, inter alia, Morocco & Middle East.
O & Ors
Systematic breach of restraint orders. Complex dissipation of assets through companies and individuals by means of diversion of proceeds of businesses. Advising upon nature and extent of breaches, and in respect of individual and corporate contempt/PCJ.
Crime
Crime
Notable Crime cases
R v LE
Representing defendant charged with attempted murder of psychiatric nurse.
R v KK
Representing main defendant charged with joint enterprise 'drill-rap' murder.
R v DS
Representing youth charged with attempted murder relating to turf war shooting & related incidents.
R v SK
Representing defendant charged with attempted murder, with psychiatric issues arising in relation to potential defence of insanity.
Instructing Andrew Wheeler QC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Frequently asked questions
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As a direct access client, please visit our direct access page and complete the initial form, a member of the clerking team will then be in touch to discuss the next steps.
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