Africa
The world is seeing a real drive across many countries in Africa to tackle corruption, and over the last year Angola, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Senegal have made signifcant progress according to Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index’.
Following our intervention in Seychelles, the country rose to 23rd out of the 180 countries surveyed, above the USA and ranking first in the nations of Sub Saharan Africa.
VPH takes on cases in Africa initially on a pro bono basis, carrying out sufficient research to formulate a plan of action for the country in question.
Americas & Caribbean
The Caribbean has long been the home of wealthy individuals. Great strides have been made via FIU and Egmont in identifying those players who have criminally benefitted in the region and elsewhere and who maintain their wealth in what amounts to paradise.
Inevitably, international actors expect Caribbean countries to tackle criminal wealth hoarders without recognising the disparity in resources held by the criminal and those of the state. We help, through funding and experience, redress that balance and level the playing field.
Asia
Recently some countries in this region have received justifiable plaudits from FATF for increasing their technical knowledge. Implementing direct and successful action against criminals remains difficult in the face of numerous beneficiaries of drug smuggling offences as well as those of corruption.
We can help tackle the complex smuggling cases, the laundering of the proceeds and the repatriation of the assets associated.
About Us
VPH International brings together law enforcement consultants, project managers and security staff from around the world to deliver tailored investigation solutions for recovering and developing nations.
Our law enforcement consultants are experienced in UK jurisprudence with many serving for more than 30 years each in the UK’s primary enforcement agencies such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, National Investigation Service and latterly the National Crime Agency. In addition, many deployed worldwide and gained extensive experience overseas accordingly.
We recognise that corruption or kleptocracy investigations create significant national interest and arouse passions, so security of staff and evidence is paramount. We work with our hosts to ensure that criminal and civil justice outcomes are secured and the subjects of the investigation know with certainty that there will be no compromise to the quality of the investigation.
Services
VPH International provides professional criminal and asset recovery investigation services to developing countries seeking to investigate historical or current corruption offences. We bring years of UK jurisprudence experience in the complex areas of money laundering offences and Mutual Legal Assistance requests to ensure that nation leaders can reliably engage in anti-corruption campaigns.
By repatriating criminal proceeds and delivering justice for those responsible for the theft and corruption, we believe we can enable those nations to take their rightful place in worldwide development. A lofty ideal certainly, but our experiences in global law enforcement have shown us that whilst aid programmes and consultancy have their place, there is no better approach than having capable investigators and witnesses form part of the evidential chain.
We know, from our own experience as such, that the best intention of training consultants is to up-skill the recipient workforce and to save everyone from the mistakes and failures that informed those same trainers in the first place. However, expecting a workforce to take on the lessons without the context of its own mistakes and learning curves often proves extremely challenging. We have found it more effective to lead by example – because actions speak louder than words.
Projects
In our most recent investigation, we worked with Seychelles authorities to target one of the country’s wealthiest businessmen. Dating back to 2002, a $50 million loan from Abu Dhabi had been misappropriated and all the evidence now acquired shows that the businessman and a former president had combined to steal the funds and move them offshore in various investment funds for personal gain.
Such was the political situation in Seychelles at the time, it was critical that operational security was very tight and VPH International was able to put together an operation effecting numerous arrests and searches to secure a huge stash of evidence in relation to the offences dating back those 20 years. In addition, we discovered 65 automatic weapons and 43,000 rounds of ammunition, all imported in preparation of a coup d’état should the former president have been unseated by democratic election.
The case was identified by VPH International following several months of pro bono investigation and intelligence work and led to a hugely experienced UK counsel and chambers securing litigation funding for the investigation and prosecution. This was highly innovative and the combination of experienced investigators, UK then Queen’s counsels and at least some direct evidence of the historical offence along with financial details of the prospective $1 billion in assets now held by the offenders was instrumental in obtaining this funding. The matter is currently before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and is sub judice to a limited extent. We have included some illustrative clips from Seychelles media in our blog, charting the enquiry from late 2021 when the enforcement operation commenced.
The Palace, La Misere
Weapons cache discovered at Morne Blanc
Seychelles’ Palais De Justice
Who We Are
VPH International is a carefully chosen team of experienced law enforcement consultants, project managers and security staff from around the world.
Our Mission
We are committed to delivering high quality criminal and civil investigations in developing and recovering nations. We assist in the prosecution of criminals by filling in experience gaps.
Our Vision
Our vision is the creation of national environments where criminals are held accountable as a matter of course and the countries in question not only realise this outcome is achievable but expect it to be achieved.