About us
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) fights complex financial crime, delivers justice for victims and protects the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) fights complex financial crime, delivers justice for victims and protects the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business.
We are part of the UK criminal justice system covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not Scotland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
We take on a small number of large economic crime cases. The Director may investigate any suspected offence which appears to him on reasonable grounds to involve serious or complex fraud, bribery or corruption.
In considering whether to authorise an investigation the Director will take into account the actual or intended harm that may be caused to:
- the public, or
- the reputation and integrity of the UK as an international financial centre, or
- the economy and prosperity of the UK
and whether the complexity and nature of the suspected offence warrants the application of the SFO’s specialist skills, powers and capabilities to investigate and prosecute.
We pursue criminals for the financial benefit they have made from their crimes and assist overseas jurisdictions with their investigations into serious and complex fraud, bribery and corruption cases.
We are unusual in the UK in that we both investigate and prosecute our cases. We were set up this way because our cases are complicated and lawyers and investigators need to work together from the beginning.
The SFO was created and given its powers under the Criminal Justice Act 1987 and was established in 1988.
The SFO is superintended by the Attorney General in accordance with the framework agreement which sets out the relationship between the Attorney and the Law Officers’ Departments.
Read more about our approach and goals in our 2024-2029 Strategy.