Experience the C5 Difference.
Join the Premier Fraud and Asset Recovery Event to Meet and Learn From the Very Practitioners You Want to Do Business With.
Practitioners at the helm of the largest, most significant high-profile matters routinely choose the C5 Geneva conference over other events. We look forward to seeing you on 13–14 March 2025, for two full days of innovative and practical discussions!
Content That Stands Apart | Featured Sessions for 2025
Fraud Café Roundtable Series
Connect in smaller groups through a series of roundtable discussions on the most pressing issues coming across practitioners’ desks.
High Net-Worth Contentious Disputes
An exploration into new, creative strategies for provisional measures and remedies that are available in high-value matters.
Stories on Complex Cross-Border Asset Recovery
An open mic think tank–with a champagne toast–to share tips on overcoming high stakes obstacles to recovery.
Updates from Judges and Regulatory Officials from Key Jurisdictions
Members of the Bench and Regulatory Agencies will share first-hand insights related to global fraud and asset recovery proceedings.
The Crossover Between Civil and Criminal Matters
An examination into fraud and asset recovery in matters where criminal enforcement authorities are involved.
Digital Asset Recovery and Tracing of Data
New ways in which AI-enhanced investigations are being utilized to interrogate data.
Join Your Peers for a Fabulous Ski Weekend! *
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act
An analysis of the UK and International Approaches for Financial Institution Liability and Failure to Prevent Fraud.
Policing and Enforcing Freezing Orders
A review of the nuanced affecting the enforcement of freezing orders.
Arbitration, Injunctive Relief, Frozen Assets and Disclosure
Hear from practice leaders on how to to tackle the most vexing, high stakes obstacles—from selecting the right venue, serving orders against unknown individuals and entities-and beyond.
As in previous years many of the delegates will be heading off to Chamonix for what is now THE traditional, fun-filled après-conference skiing weekend after the conference ends on Friday afternoon. Chamonix is approximately 45 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic. There is no hotel booked for the weekend, but many will reserve a room at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Reservations have been made for a group dinner at 20:00 on Friday evening at Restaurant Satsuki; and another group dinner on Saturday evening at 20:00 - at Restaurant Le Cap-Horn in the centre of Chamonix. ALL ARE WELCOME — whether skiers or not as the weekend is a great way to continue the bonhomie of the Geneva event. Those of you who are planning on attending please email Leonie Stevens (lstevens@petersandpeters.com) and Sandrine Souvannavong (sandrine.souvannavong@baerkarrer.ch) as soon as possible.
* Please note that the ski trip is not included in the conference registration fee.
For close to twenty years, the “who’s who” from around the globe have made it a point to attend this event—widely recognised as the flagship reunion of the year. From re-connecting to forging new contacts, this is truly the place to be! Join us for extended networking breaks and luncheons, with large and smaller-group discussions on high-stakes, pressing challenges.
Founding Partner, Ardentěr Law (Switzerland)
This is the go-to conference for international asset tracing and recovery, where the best practitioners in the filed converge to debate and share their highly valuable experience.
Founder, FFP (Cayman) Limited
Very enjoyable and informative. Great opportunity to catch up with like-minded practitioners from around the world.
Speaker Faculty
CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS
Saverio Lembo Partner
Bär & Karrer Ltd (Switzerland)
Mona Vaswani Partner Milbank LLP (UK)
Jane Colston Partner Brown Rudnick LLP (UK)
Keith Oliver Head of International Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP (UK)
VIEW FROM THE BENCH
The Hon. Olivier Thormann Président de la Cour d’appel Tribunal Pénal Fédéral (Switzerland)
GOVERNMENT SPEAKER
Matthias Obrecht Head Market Analysis Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)
SPEAKERS
Jonathan Addo Partner Harneys (British Virgin Islands)
Ilias Anagnostopoulos Partner Anagnostopoulos (Greece)
George Ayoub Partner
Schellenberg Wittmer (Switzerland)
Phil Beckett Managing Director and European & Middle East Practice Leader Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations, LLP (UK)
Benjamin Borsodi Partner
Schellenberg Wittmer LTD (Switzerland)
Charlotte Bhania Partner PCB Byrne LLP (UK)
Charles Bott KC Head of Advocacy
Martin Kenney & Co. (MKS) (UK)
Markus Brinkmann Partner BDO Germany (Germany)
Rachel Cropper-Mawer Partner Ogier (Jersey)
Ed Crosse Partner
Simmons & Simmons LLP (UK & UAE)
Rebecca Dix Barrister 5 Paper Buildings (UK)
Sophie Eyre Partner Bird & Bird (UK)
Paul G. Feldberg Partner Brown Rudnick LLP (UK)
Cėline Gautier Partner Borel & Barbey (Switzerland)
Jonathan W. Graessle Senior Manager BDO (USA)
Axel Benjamin Herzberg Partner Bodenheimer (Germany)
Martin Kenney Head of Firm
Martin Kenney & Co. (MKS) (British Virgin Islands)
Dmytro Marchukov Partner INTEGRITES (Ukraine)
Andrew McLeod Barrister One Essex Court (UK)
Paul Mitchell KC Barrister 4 New Square Chambers (UK)
Sarah Murray Partner Stevens & Bolton (UK)
Jean-René Oettli Partner Borel & Barbey (Switzerland)
John Oxenham Partner Primerio (South Africa)
Stavros Pavlou
Executive Chairman Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC (Cyprus)
Caroline Phipps Principal LK Law (UK)
Alex Potts KC Barrister 4 Pump Court (UK)
Héctor Sbert Partner ECIJA (Spain)
Evelyn Sheehan Partner Kobre & Kim (USA)
Natalie Todd Partner
Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP (UK)
Fabio Trevisan Partner
Bonn Steichen & Partners (Luxembourg)
Grzegorz Woźniak Managing Partner Woźniak Legal (Poland)
Dan Wyatt Partner
Reynolds, Porter Chamberlain LLP (UK)
Daniel J. Zappelli Partner
Vafadar Sivilotti
Zappelli (former Attorney General of the Republic and District of Geneva) (Switzerland)
CONFERENCE DAY ONE
8:00 Registration and Networking
9:00 Opening Remarks from the Co-Chairs
Saverio Lembo Partner Bär & Karrer Ltd. (Switzerland)
Thursday, 13 March 2025 8:45 Fraud
Mona Vaswani Partner Milbank LLP (UK)
Settle in and connect with your peers through a series of rotating roundtable discussions. This interactive, ice-breaking session will operate as a series of 25-minute Roundtable discussions — where the speakers and audience can switch tables thereafter for discussion on the other hot button issues. We will then hear from each of the Roundtable speakers as they provide us with a recap of key takeaways:
ROUNDTABLES
1. Fraudulent and Negligent Misrepresentation: A Comparative Analysis of the Fallibility of Memory, the Unreliability of Oral Evidence, and the Importance Which Judges Should Place on Contemporaneous Documents
Ilias Anagnostopoulos Partner Anagnostopoulos (Greece)
Rachel Cropper-Mawer Partner Ogier (Jersey)
2. Spotlight on Fraud & Asset Recovery in the Middle East and North Africa: A Look at the Most Pressing Issues and Recovery Tactics in These Regions
3. Litigation Funders, Investigators and Asset Recovery Practitioners: Bringing the Fight to the Fraudsters and Recovering for Your Clients
10:00 Roundtable Recap: Takeaways and Lessons Learned from our Roundtables
10:15 Extended Networking Break
10:45
The Crossover Between Civil and Criminal Matters: Recovering Assets in Fraud Investigations Where Criminal Enforcement Authorities Are Involved
Many schemes perpetrated by fraudsters constitute federal crimes, so international law enforcement agencies are often involved and utilized to aide in recovery. As such, it is important to consider the finer points of participating in investigations that will — or are — being conducted by criminal enforcement entities.
Join us in this session as our panelists discuss what can happen to fraudsters and victims in a civil matter when law enforcement is involved. Topics of discussion include:
• AML reporting considerations for victims of fraud during litigation or settlement discussions that are aimed at recovering assets from parties responsible for the fraud
• Account freezing and forfeiture orders, restraint orders and other mechanisms under the Proceeds of Crime Act
• Advanced tracing and international tracking mechanisms
• Compensation orders vs. confiscation orders
• Assistance with assessing, organizing, and litigating civil and criminal asset forfeiture actions
• Remission and equitable restoration of assets and forfeited funds to victims
Benjamin Borsodi Partner
Schellenberg Wittmer LTD (Switzerland)
Evelyn Sheehan Partner
Kobre & Kim (USA)
Charles Bott KC Head of Advocacy
Martin Kenney & Co. (MKS) (UK)
Rebecca Dix Barrister 5 Paper Buildings (UK)
Jean-René Oettli Partner
Borel & Barbey (Switzerland)
There is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the underlying substantive crypto claims relating to fraud, where there arguably remain more questions than answers. Unfortunately, for many fraud and asset recovery practitioners, they are not well understood and create a variety of issues and challenges.
Join us in this informative session as our panel of crypto experts offer detailed responses to many of the questions you want to know the answers to, such as:
• What does the future of crypto look like?
• What lessons have crypto natives and practitioners taken from the last 12 months?
• How can we combat fraudsters that are using blockchain to conceal their activity and evade detection?
• How do crypto fraudsters commonly seek to off-board fraudulently obtained crypto or fiat?
• Perspectives on international recognition of court orders in a decentralised and borderless ecosystems
Dan Wyatt Partner
Reynolds, Porter Chamberlain LLP (UK)
Jonathan W. Graessle
Senior Manager
BDO (USA)
14:00 View from the Bench
The Hon. Olivier Thormann Président de la Cour d’appel Tribunal Pénal Fédéral (Switzerland)
14:45 Arbitrations, Injunctive Relief, Frozen Assets and Disclosure: Practitioner Tips for Overcoming Vexing, High Stakes Obstacles
Most fraud victims are concerned about how they can recover from the losses they have suffered, and there are often significant challenges when there are: frozen assets; assets subject to arbitration orders and matters with conflicting disclosure orders. These matters are compounded when the assets and orders involve multiple jurisdictions.
When a high-value fraud involves a number of these jurisdictions, it becomes a very complex landscape within which fraud practitioners must navigate, and requires focus and consideration of conflicting regimes, class priorities, foreign substantive law, and an array of other foreign insolvency and fraud-related proceedings.
Bring your questions, as our experts address some of the most pressing and difficult challenges in complex matters that include these jurisdictions, such as:
• Challenges in selecting the right forum(s) and venue(s) to prevent delay, gain momentum and improve chances of asset recovery
• Issues with obtaining and serving orders against unknown individuals and organizations
• What can be done to overcome a lack of cooperation between private practitioners and enforcement authorities in the affected jurisdictions
• Handling the different approaches taken to disclosure, discovery and un-freezing assets in Civil and Common Law jurisdictions
Dmytro Marchukov Partner INTEGRITES (Ukraine)
Natalie Todd Partner Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP (UK)
Grzegorz Woźniak Managing Partner Woźniak Legal (Poland)
Axel Benjamin Herzberg Partner Bodenheimer (Germany)
Stavros Pavlou
Executive Chairman Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC (Cyprus)
Many jump to the conclusion that high profile fraudsters are driven purely by greed. However, more often than not, white-collar criminals neglect to calculate the costs and benefits of their schemes before breaking the law.
We should also consider that fraudsters make decisions the way we all do — on the basis of intuition and gut feelings.
Join us as we hear from a leading expert on their first-hand interviews with some high-profile fraudsters and gain unique insight on:
• Why executives often don't feel the emotions (angst, guilt, shame) most people would expect
• How acceptable norms in the business community can differ from those of the broader society
• Surprising aspects of white collar criminals' thought processes and motivations
16:30 High Net-Worth Contentious Disputes: Creative Remedies That are Available to Repatriate High-Value Assets
It is not uncommon for high net-worth individuals to conceal their wealth in complex holdings, trusts, and other methods of hiding those assets. To effectively identify and value assets that have not been disclosed — or are grossly undervalued, it is important to utilize the latest legal, forensic and investigative tools to trace, trap and repatriate those hidden assets.
Some of the challenges, tools and assets that will be discussed in this engaging session include:
• Hurdles to gathering evidence in multiple foreign jurisdictions
• How to obtain and serve freezing orders against international parties
• Forum and Venue: Challenges in selecting and changing the “battlefield” to speed up the cases, gain momentum and improve chances of asset recovery
• How to effectively and ethically utilize forensic accounting and corporate intelligence for high stakes asset recovery investigations
• Creative use of provisional measures, pre-judgment remedies, and insolvency tools
Jonathan Addo Partner Harneys (British Virgin Islands)
Sarah Murray Partner Stevens & Bolton (UK)
Caroline Phipps Principal LK Law (UK)
Markus Brinkmann Partner
BDO Germany (Germany)
END OF DAY ONE & NETWORKING COCKTAIL RECEPTION
Supported by
CONFERENCE DAY TWO
Friday,
14 March 2025
8:50 Conference Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks & Special Remarks on Digital Communications and Body Language
Be sure to join us as we kick off Day Two with opening remarks followed by an interactive discussion about the lesser known challenges of digital communications (e.g the use of a full stop or exclamation mark), and how we can build rapport and trust to avoid misunderstandings. Join this unique opportunity to refine your digital style (e.g your emojis, punctuation, your cc versus your bcc lines) and carry out an audit of your digital communications.
•
9:15 Economic
Crime and Corporate Transparency Act: A Look at the UK and International Approaches to Financial Institution Liability and Failure to Prevent Fraud
Join us as our panelists explore the domestic and international ramifications of the UK Act Topics and questions for discussion include:
• Why does the new corporate offence matter for individual officers and organizations that are incorporated or located outside of the UK?
• Whose actions may lead to corporate criminal liability for fraud and other offences?
• What do “reasonable prevention procedures” look like?
» Robust but proportionate?
» Is liability triggered where the organisation is the intended victim of the associated person’s conduct?
• What will the approach be for international enforcement authorities as a result of the Act?
• Does the intention to benefit the business have to be the sole or dominant motivation for the fraud?
• Will the offence apply to UK organisations whose overseas employees or subsidiaries commit fraud abroad with no UK nexus, or is this a matter for law enforcement in the country concerned?
Sophie Eyre Partner Bird & Bird (UK)
Paul G. Feldberg Partner Brown Rudnick LLP (UK)
Jane Colston Partner Brown Rudnick LLP (UK)
Keith Oliver Head of International Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP (UK)
Mona Vaswani Partner Milbank LLP (UK)
10:15
Digital
Asset Recovery and Tracing of Data: How AI-Enhanced Investigations Are Being Utilized to “Interrogate” Data
The landscape and shifting locations of digital assets make it critical to have effective tools for interpreting the data and tracing the assets across the chain. However, the mission does not end with discovering the location of the assets; it is important to keep up with the technology in order to get to the data and interpret it quickly.
Be sure to join us in this session, as we examine:
• Best practices for tracing the data
• Ways to recover the data
• The advantages of “Interrogating” the data using Artificial Intelligence
• Court responses to evidence derived from AI and other technologies
Paul Mitchell
Barrister
4 New Square Chambers (UK)
Phil Beckett
Managing Director and European & Middle East Practice Leader
Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations, LLP (UK)
Alex Potts KC
Barrister
4 Pump Court (UK)
11:45 A View from FINMA
Matthias Obrecht Head Market Analysis Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)
Saverio Lembo Partner Bär & Karrer Ltd. (Switzerland)
In an asset recovery case, much of the most pertinent information lies outside the jurisdiction of the fraudster and the victim. In addition, the ability to retrieve data from a wide array of sources across borders — and in different languages — is critical.
Be sure to join us in this session as we will hear from practitioners and investigators who continue to be involved in some of the most impactful and high-profile criminal and civil matters. We will discuss anticipated and unanticipated developments in the fraud landscape and trace the steps that are needed to recover for your clients. Key topics for discussion:
• Best practices for improving communication and cooperation between practitioners and enforcement authorities in multiple jurisdictions
• The role of counsel and cross-border investigation firms in seeking pre-judgment remedies and litigation
• Evidence gathering and corporate intelligence
• Worldwide injunctive relief mechanisms
Martin Kenney Head of Firm
Martin Kenney & Co. (MKS) (British Virgin Islands)
Fabio Trevisan
Partner
Bonn Steichen & Partners (Luxembourg)
Andrew McLeod
Barrister
One Essex Court (UK)
13:15 Networking Luncheon
14:30 Policing and Enforcing Freezing Orders: How to Ensure Your Freezing Order Holds the Ring to Trial
When considering the enforcement of freezing orders, many jurisdictions hold that a suspicion, fear or speculation of the dissipation — or movement — of assets is not sufficient. An existence of sophisticated financial structures, a history of proven dishonesty, avoiding paying a judgment debt and a failure to provide asset information in response to a court order will all be relevant, but still not determinative on their own.
Be sure to join us in this session as our panelists review the key considerations when seeking to enforce freezing orders, such as:
• What to do when there is a breach
• Considerations when a receiver has or will be been appointed
• Best practices for bringing proceedings for contempt
• Factors that courts will take into account when examining the risk of dissipation of assets
George Ayoub Partner Schellenberg Wittmer (Switzerland)
Charlotte Bhania Partner PCB Byrne LLP (UK)
John Oxenham Partner Primerio (South Africa)
Cėline Gautier Partner Borel & Barbey (Switzerland)
Most high-value fraud victims are concerned about how they can recover from the significant financial losses that they have suffered, and there is often a huge gap between orders of restitution and recovery of the actual amount lost or hidden. In many of these cases, there are significant barriers to being compensated — including insolvency, jurisdictional hurdles, evidentiary challenges, and difficulty in tracing assets.
Led by: Keith Oliver Head of International Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP (UK)
Moreover, when a high-value fraud involves a number of jurisdictions, it becomes a very complex landscape within which fraud practitioners must navigate, and requires focus and consideration of conflicting regimes, class priorities, foreign substantive law, and an array of other foreign insolvency and fraud-related proceedings.
Settle in to hear some compellign stories, bring your questions, as our experts address some of the most pressing and difficult challenges confronting fraud and asset recovery practitioners in complex matters, such as:
• Challenges in selecting the right forum(s) and venue(s) to prevent delay, gain momentum and improve chances of asset recovery
• Issues with obtaining and serving injunctive relief orders against unknown individuals and organizations
• What can be done to overcome a lack of cooperation between legal practitioners and enforcement authorities in the affected jurisdictions
• Navigating the different approaches taken to disclosure and discovery in Civil and Common Law jurisdictions
As in previous years many of the delegates will be heading off to Chamonix for what is now THE traditional, fun-filled après-conference skiing weekend after the conference ends on Friday afternoon.
Chamonix is approximately 45 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic. There is no hotel booked for the weekend, but many will reserve a room at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Reservations have been made for a group dinner at 20:00 on Friday evening at Restaurant Satsuki; and another group dinner on Saturday evening at 20:00 - at Restaurant Le Cap-Horn in the centre of Chamonix. ALL ARE WELCOME — whether skiers or not as the weekend is a great way to continue the bonhomie of the Geneva event. Those of you who are planning on attending please email Leonie Stevens (lstevens@petersandpeters.com) and Sandrine Souvannavong (sandrine.souvannavong@baerkarrer.ch) as soon as possible.
* Please note that the ski trip is not included in the conference registration fee.
VENUE INFORMATION Bed
Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva
47 Quai Wilson, 1211 Geneva 8, Switzerland
Reservations: +41 22-9066666
ACCOMMODATIONS
The C5 Group is pleased to offer our guests a limited number of hotel rooms at a negotiated rate. To take advantage of these rates, please contact the hotel directly and quote “C5’s Fraud Geneva“.
Please note that the guest room block cut-off date is 11 February 2025. After that date OR when the room block fills, guestroom availability and rate can no longer be guaranteed.
ABOUT US
The C5 Group, comprising American Conference Institute, the Canadian Institute and C5 in Europe, is a leading global events and business intelligence company.
For over 40 years, C5 Group has provided the opportunities that bring together business leaders, professionals and international experts from around the world to learn, meet, network and make the contacts that create the opportunities. Our conferences and related products connect the power of people with the power of information, a powerful combination for business growth and success.
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With conferences in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, the C5 Group of Companies: American Conference Institute, the Canadian Institute, and C5 Group, provides a diverse portfolio of conferences, events and roundtables devoted to providing business intelligence to senior decision makers responding to challenges around the world.
Don’t miss the opportunity to maximize participation or showcase your organizations services and talent. For more information, please contact:
Lanny Morris Senior Business Development Manager l.morris@americanconference.com
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