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‘One man’s waste is another man’s gold’ is how the old adage goes, and a recent story about a proceeds of crime case in Darlington has shown just how true that is.

It was revealed in late August that Tony Leigh Shepherd would have to repay £350,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act after the 41-year-old pleaded guilty to running an illegal waste site. He ran the site between 2009 and 2011 and pleaded guilty when a case was brought against him in 2013 – however, authorities have only just reached a settlement on how much he ought to repay for his crime.

In a proceeds of crime case, the guilty party will be instructed to pay back whatever amount they have been deemed to have profited from the illegal activity. In the case of Mr Shepherd, an investigation by the Environmental Agency found that he had been running a waste transfer facility on the land at West Musgrave Farm where he was illegally depositing, sorting and storing mixed household and industrial waste.

Although he did not have the necessary licence to do so, Mr Shepherd profited from the business in the two years it was running, and this money must now be repaid. The length of time between his guilty plea and the proceeds of crime ruling – 24 months – illustrates the complexity involved with finding the correct figure to be repaid, which is why it is a task often granted to forensic accountants.

Frenkels Forensics is experienced in helping with proceeds of crime cases. The firm’s experts are able to disseminate between legitimate and illegal sources of income and assess exactly how much the defendant can and should repay.

For expert help in a criminal case involving proceeds of crime or any other type of financial dispute contact Frenkels Forensics for an independent appraisal.

We can help assist individuals, companies, lawyers, barristers and accountants in conducting a full investigation into accounts to ensure a fair settlement for the prosecution or defendant.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for advice on any aspect of forensic accountancy, then do get in touch via Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn or by visiting our website www.frenkels.com

By Vitek Frenkel – find me via Google+.