Forensic Accounts - Overview


Forensic Accounts is a consultancy set up by Chris Bennett FCA to specialise in Forensic Accountancy.

Chris qualified in 1963 as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He became Partner at Chantrey Vellacott and worked there until December 1995, joining Smith and Williamson as a Partner in January 1996. Having retired from practice in April 2005, Chris now works through his consultancy, as well as acting as a consultant for Smith and Williamson.

He has acted for a varied portfolio of corporate and owner-managed businesses, and has over 40 years’ experience of advising a wide range of entities on all aspects of their affairs. He was also an Audit Partner/Director throughout his career.

The industries and professions that Chris has covered include:
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Financial Services (insurance brokers, Euro-Bond dealers etc)
  • Solicitors
  • Estate Agents
  • British Legion and Working Men's Clubs
  • Property dealing and investment
At Smith and Williamson, Chris led the civil litigation side of the Guildford office, dealing with the financial part of any claim, ie. loss of earnings, personal injury, matrimonial disputes, share and business valuations. He has also appeared as an Expert Witness on a number of occasions.

Forensic Work (Civil)
Assignments that Chris has carried out include:
  • Loss of profit claims
  • Financial reports and investigations for matrimonial cases
  • Share valuations and shareholder disputes
  • Personal injury claims
  • DTI director disqualifications
  • DTI section 155 and 156 CA1985 investigations

Forensic Work (Criminal)
Chris' specific forensic work/cases to date includes:
  • Assisting with investigations into a number of varied frauds
  • Dealing with asset-tracing in connection with money-laundering
  • Appearing in Crown Court as an Expert Witness on a number of prosecutions
  • Money-laundering of drugs proceeds for Police
  • Asset-tracing arising out of drugs and allied criminal offences for National Crime Squad
  • Court Martials - defence of financial charges
  • Advance fee fraud
  • Conspiracy to defraud
  • Mortgage fraud
  • False accounting
  • General fraud
He is:
  • Chairman of the Police Liaison Panel at the Institue of Charterered Accountants in England and Wales (formerly the Metropolitan Police Fraud Squad Panel) having spent 19 years on the panel
  • A member of the Fraud Prevention Working Group, which is a forum between industry and the Police.
  • A member of the British Academy of Experts and the Expert Witness Institute
Chris can be contacted at the following email address: creb@forensicaccounts.co.uk or on the following telephone nos:

Office: 01483 890349 (tel & fax)
Mobile: 07767 872501

The following article, written by Chris Bennett during his time at Smith and Williamson, provides an informative insight into the world of Forensic Accountancy arising out of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the 2nd EU Directive:

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