Jennifer Newcomb secures convictions of two former Directors of £37m ‘ethical’ green investment schemes

Jennifer Newcomb, instructed by the Serious Fraud Office, alongside Nichola Higgins and led by Amanda Pinto QC, secures convictions of two former Directors of £37m ‘ethical’ green investment schemes.

Yesterday jurors unanimously convicted 2 Defendants of conspiracies to defraud 2,000 investors and pensioners in three separate forestry investment schemes, as well as misconduct in the course of winding up a company. The convictions came at the conclusion of a three-month trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Global Forestry Investments was presented to investors as a secure, well-managed, ethical investment scheme that would help protect the Amazon and support local communities. In reality, the Defendants were pedalling lies about the scheme whilst enriching themselves with the monies taken from investors’ savings and pensions.

The SFO’s worldwide investigation stretched from Brazil, to the UAE to Mauritius.

Sentencing will take place next week.

Links to press coverage:

• https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/two-directors-brazil-teak-investment-firm-convicted-london-2022-05-31/
• https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/andrew-skeene-and-omari-bowers-convicted-of-amazon-tree-planting-fraud-dsvsx79z5
• https://www.ft.com/content/76293da7-475c-416b-aac4-12e5cb41e466