Leon Kazakos KC

Leon Kazakos KC

“He is absolutely brilliant”

Chambers UK 2024 (Financial Crime)
Year of call: 1999 KC: 2020
For enquiries please call: 020 7353 5324 or email vcard cv linkedin save

Business Crime & Financial Services

Ranked as a leader in financial crime in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, complex financial cases are a very substantial part of Leon’s practice. He has extensive experience of defending in all forms of business crime and is instructed to defend in cases brought by the Financial Conduct Authority, the Serious Fraud Office, CPS, BEIS, HMRC as well as against cases brought by private prosecutors where a robust approach is often called for.

Leon’s caseload spans the full spectrum, from allegations of misconduct in insolvency proceedings to the operation of unauthorised collective investment schemes to bribery, political corruption and wide-ranging conspiracies to defraud. His proceeds of crime practice sees him advise and represent individuals in civil recovery disputes with the National Crime Agency.

Recent instructions:

R v X (2022 – 2024)

Misconduct in public office

R v C (2022 – 2023)

Instructed for corporate defendant in bribery prosecution

R v C (2022)

Argument concerning the extra-territorial reach of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Operation Barbados (2022 – 2023)

Cheating the Public Revenue – Missing Trader Fraud

R v M

Prosecution for insolvency offences

SFO v G (2021)

Investment scheme investigation

BEIS v G (2021 – 2022) 

Director’s Disqualification Proceedings

R v B (2021)

Corruption and fraud prosecution.

R v C (2021)

Prosecution for misconduct in public office

Re: X (2020-2021)

Advising company directors in a bribery and corruption investigation

Operation Obi-Wan (2020-2021)

Hidden income and Value Added Tax fraud

Operation Tennessine (2019-2020)

Allegations of International £ multi-million banking fraud and money laundering. Leading counsel for the first defendant.

HMRC v CL (2019)

The defence of a company director and restauranteur against allegations of Value Added Tax and Corporation Tax evasion.

North Wales Police v D (2019)

Post acquittal representation of defendant against an application by police for account freezing and forfeiture orders.

BEIS v K (2018)

Defence counsel for the leading defendant in a prosecution brought on behalf of the Insolvency Service. The case concerned the alleged abuse of a series of limited and the creditors voluntary liquidation scheme in order to evade debts to creditors and to pursue property investment transactions. Large scale confiscation proceedings that followed were defeated entirely.

Operation Observe (2018)

The successful defence of a businessman accused of fraud and money laundering. The prosecution alleged his involvement in an high value conspiracy to defraud members of the public through the offering for sale of tickets to sporting events. The case received widespread publicity both before and during trial (see here).

R v J (2018)

Mis-selling of investment products.

T v T (2018)

The successful defence of a businessman against a private prosecution brought by an ex-business partner accusing him of fraud and misuse of the letter of credit scheme.

The proceedings arose out of an international action brought in the High Court by a contractual counterparty.

NCA v E (2018)

Instructed for the respondent in Part V (High Court) Civil Recovery Proceedings.

Operation Dogstar (2018)

The successful defence of a City worker accused of participation in fraudulent equity release loan applications and mortgage fraud.

NCA v D (2017)

Instructed for the respondent in Part V (High Court) and Part VI (Tax Tribunal) Civil Recovery Proceedings.

Operation Cotton (2015-2017)

Leading Junior representing a defendant accused of conspiracy to defraud arising out of the operation of a collective investment scheme, the largest land banking scheme prosecution brought by the FCA.

R v A (2017)

International fraud and £12m money laundering operation.

R v V (2017)

Representing a businessman accused of a series of frauds on investors, the public revenue and government institutions.

R v C (2017)

Investment fraud involving the sale of carbon credits to the public.

R v DS (2015)

The successful defence of a Barclays employee against allegations of money laundering arising out of an investigation by the Hi-tech crime unit into a series of multi million pound frauds.

Operation Isidor (2015)

Representing a property developer accused of involvement in a long running money laundering and mortgage fraud conspiracy with allegations of involvement in organised crime.

Operation Vara (2014)

£15m international gold smuggling duty and VAT fraud.

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