Leo Seelig leading Faye Rolfe has secured convictions of Lenn Mayhew-Lewis and two other defendants for money laundering offences following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Mr. Mayhew-Lewis and his co-defendants offered a service that helped organised criminals conceal their illicit profits by using multiple companies to launder their money, eventually paying it back to them under the guise of legitimate employment.
Following his conviction the defendant absconded and was sentenced in his absence to 5 years imprisonment. The proceedings could not be reported at the time owing to Mayhew-Lewis’ pending trial for perverting the course of justice, at which he was also convicted.
In related proceedings the NCA’s International Corruption Unit has been granted an order for forfeiture of 8kg of gold and a Frank Auerbach painting worth over £2m.
One of Mayhew-Lewis’ clients was Organised Crime Group leader Darryl Tawiah, who was importing kilo-quantities of class A drugs from Holland whilst serving an 18-year prison sentence. Tawiah was sentenced to a further 25 years imprisonment ([2022] EWCA Crim 1575). That case was also prosecuted by Leo Seelig (leading Frederick Hookway, of 5KBW).
News stories:
[BBC News]
[Sky News]
[National Crime Agency]