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UK scams guard dog faces hefty bill after appeal declined in ENRC case

Britain's Serious Scams Office (SFO) has been declined authorization to appeal against a. judgment that it only opened a corruption probe into Kazakh mining. group ENRC because of its own wrongdoing, leaving the guard dog. facing a large damages expense.

London's High Court ruled in December that ENRC was entitled. to millions of pounds in damages over a decade-long lawbreaker. investigation into alleged bribery, which was stopped by the SFO. in 2015 with no charges. ENRC had denied any misbehavior.

That judgment also stated the SFO would not have released the. probe in 2013 if the company had not initially induced ENRC's former. legal representative to act versus its interests, and the Court of Appeal. declined permission to appeal on Monday.

ENRC was looking for around 21 million pounds ($ 28 million) for. unneeded work connected to the investigation, though the High. Court has said ENRC will receive less than that amount.

The figure is, nevertheless, overshadowed by the almost $1 billion. previous FTSE 100 company ENRC is declaring for losses it says were. triggered by the probe, which will be the topic of another trial.

The SFO has actually taped a provision of 237.7 million pounds in. its accounts for 2023/24, which specifies that the figure. represents about 25% of what ENRC is declaring.

A spokesperson for the SFO said: We are disappointed by the. Court of Appeal's decision. Any damages granted go through. ongoing proceedings.

The firm has dealt with a number of problems in recent years,. consisting of being forced to abandon prominent prosecutions. since of disclosure failures.

If ENRC is entitled to additional damages, then liability for. paying could be split in between the SFO and ENRC's previous legal representatives. Dechert, whose previous co-head of white-collar crime Neil Gerrard. performed an internal investigation for ENRC.

ENRC decreased to comment. Dechert and Gerrard's legal representatives did. not immediately respond to an ask for remark.

The High Court formerly ruled that Gerrard had engaged. with senior SFO officials without authority in a negligent. breach of task which the SFO induced him to do so.

(source: Reuters)