More than £4 million of criminal assets will be split between Jersey and the Home Office, following the signing of an agreement by Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC and Attorney General of Jersey Robert MacRae QC.
The Law Officers’ Department for Jersey and the CPS worked together to bring Independent financial advisor Adeel Mirza, 47, to justice. He was convicted of nine counts of fraud in 2013, jailed for six years and ordered to pay back £4,180,788.32.
Prosecutors arranged the sale of nine houses across London – the majority of Mirza’s UK property portfolio – which were all registered to a trust in Jersey.
Robert Buckland QC MP said: “The UK and Jersey enjoy good relations which has resulted in effective cooperation in tackling crime. I’m pleased that Mr Mirza’s ill-gotten gains will be split between the Home Office and Jersey, to the benefit of taxpayers. Criminals will not be able to keep the profits of their unlawful actions”.
The Attorney General for Jersey, Robert MacRae QC, said: “This case of close collaboration with the UK authorities once again demonstrates Jersey’s commitment to fighting serious financial crime. In particular it shows that Jersey trusts are no place to hide the proceeds of crime.”
The assets are being shared between Jersey and the UK to reflect the work that both jurisdictions dedicated to bringing Mirza to justice and ensuring that he did not benefit financially from his crimes.
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