Business and Financial Crimes
(white Collar Crimes)
Business and financial crimes, also known as white-collar crimes, refer to a wide range of criminal activities that are committed in a professional or commercial setting. These types of crimes typically involve fraud, corruption, and other unethical behavior, and can have serious consequences for both individuals and corporations. Business and financial crimes range from fraud [monetary fraud, securities fraud, et cetera], Bank fraud, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud, bribery, corruption, racketeering. Egonu Chambers’ Business & Financial Crime (White-Collar crime) practice is a sub-head of the Firm’s Dispute Resolution practice and we act for companies and individuals who are subject to investigations and prosecution by government bodies and agencies, including the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission [ICPC], the Nigeria Police Force [NPF], National Drug Law Enforcement Agency [NDLEA], National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control [NAFDAC], amongst others. Over the years, our lawyers from the Egonu Chambers’ dispute resolution practice group have handled tons of litigation against these Bodies and handled negotiations with them as well, so we have in-depth knowledge of the workings of these Bodies. Our Firm is also regularly instructed in multi-jurisdiction investigations conducted by international law enforcement agencies such as the INTERPOL. We also act as independent advisers for witnesses in investigations before these Bodies.
What are the consequences of investigations into your Business?
Whether your business is being investigated for tax evasion, or for fraud, depending on the severity of breach of regulatory requirements or crime involved, the impact of such on your business is potentially huge…in a negative way. We work hard to minimize the impact of such investigations or prosecution where applicable on your business; where possible we work to negotiate, or to stop the investigation before actual business operations disruption occurs.
Who Does our Business & Financial Crime Practice Help?
Our Firm’s operations cut across Nigeria and also internationally when working on cross-border, multi-jurisdictional investigations, and we represent and provide legal assistance to the following business types:
⦿ Charitable Organizations;
⦿ Publicly Listed Companies;
⦿ Small Companies;
⦿ SMEs;
⦿ Partnerships.
Our Business & Financial Crime (White Collar) Sub-Practices
Legal Risk Management:
Egonu Chambers manages a wide range of very complex matters involving large
stakes and large companies. We have an agile, vibrant team that will help
your Business assess the legal risks arising from investigations—whether
ongoing or projected—and potential Actions that may arise out of them. Our
lawyers are extensively experienced and will cover the entire process,
scrutinizing the legal risk your business is exposed to, to planning
corporate regulatory compliance, all in a bid to hedge against liability or
default with Nigeria’s applicable laws and regulations.
Internal & External Fraud Investigations:
Fraud is a type of white-collar crime that involves intentional deception
for purpose of personal financial gain. Fraud can take many forms, including
securities fraud, bank fraud, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud, and many
more. We aim to work closely with our clients in order to restore their
investor confidence, retain their good will and communal good standing, and
return to their daily business with as little fuss as possible so as not to
dent reputations that’d been built over several years.
Tax Investigations:
We represent corporate and individual clients in tax investigations relating
to tax evasion, both with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Anambra
State Board of Internal Revenue at the local level. We work hard in
negotiations with tax authorities to iron out accrued tax liabilities so our
clients can go back to their businesses without further disruptions from the
Government.
From our Onitsha, Nigeria offices, Egonu Chambers
provides effective representation to clients who face significant exposure
to civil and criminal liability in the course of their business and
corporate operations. We advise Boards, executives, and senior management in
different cases which may involve the business itself and law enforcement
agencies and regulators, or their employees and other stakeholders in
allegations, enquiries from applicable regulators or full investigations
into allegations or white-collar crimes. We provide very discreet consulting
services for our clients on very sensitive issues, trace assets through
financial records and other trails and conduct investigations on behalf of
these clients.
Business and financial crimes, also known as
white-collar crimes, can have serious consequences for both individuals and
corporations. Egonu Chambers has a team of experienced attorneys who
specialize in representing clients facing charges of business and financial
crime, including fraud, corruption, and other unethical behavior. Our
lawyers will work tirelessly to provide effective representation when our
clients are faced with investigations, or prosecution, or conversely, when
our clients are the victims of white-collar crimes themselves.
