James Stunt Acquitted in £266 Million Money Laundering Trial

Hannah Thomas, led by Trevor Burke KC, represented James Stunt who was acquitted yesterday of laundering £266 million of criminal property. Counsel were instructed by Fiona Gavriel of Janes Solicitors.

James Stunt stood trial at Leeds Crown Court over the course of the last 5 months. He was accused of laundering hundreds of millions of pounds in cash through a joint venture between Fowler Oldfield Ltd and his company, Stunt and Co Ltd. Up to £2 million in cash per day was received at the premises involved in the joint venture. The prosecution alleged that the arrangement between Stunt and Co and Fowler Oldfield Ltd was, in fact, a criminal enterprise to launder the proceeds of crime. Fourteen cash couriers had been convicted of money laundering offences for their involvement.

Mr Stunt denied having any knowledge or suspicion that the cash was criminal property and ran a cut-throat defence alleging that other defendants in the case had duped him and had in fact stolen money and gold from him. His defence was successful and he was the only defendant out of five in the trial to be acquitted. The case was a re-trial, the first trial in 2022 having resulted in a hung jury.

The case has attracted considerable media attention given Mr Stunt’s socialite status and former marriage to Petra Ecclestone, daughter of Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One fame.

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