OUR SERVICES


  • Tax Litigation

    We are able to handle a wide range of investigations by various governmental bodies and regulatory authorities, from an early stage or from more developed proceedings. Our experience and extensive contacts allow us to get to the heart of matters quickly and help us to guide our clients smoothly through the process. Our litigation team have considerable experience both as prosecutors and in defence of tax litigation.
    We will work closely with you to prevent or minimise the risks of tax disputes arising and satisfy you that all reasonable steps have been taken to lessen the risk of an investigation into your business. If an investigation starts, we can guide you through the process, and help with negotiations whilst bearing in mind wider ramifications;
    • Many regulatory authorities such as HMRC have wide ranging powers to gather information and any such enquiry will disrupt your business. Following an enquiry, penaties may be imposed on your company.
    • Some companies find it difficult to preserve their reputation, following an investigation from regulatory authorities, if the process is not carefully managed.
    Whether you are being pro-active or re-active, our many years' experience in the control and management of litigation, investigations and disclosures will ensure that you remain in the driving seat.

  • Dispute Resolution

    Disputes are a part of business, they are an unfortunate reality. At Aegis we know that you can't always avoid disputes, but we can help you resolve them. We pride ourselves on advice which is:
    • delivered promptly
    • pragmatic and has clear deliverables
    • focused on your business and industry sector
    • clear and transparent on costs

  • Investigations

    Our team is experienced in law enforcement, legal, intelligence and forensic accounting and offers unparalleled problem-solving ability. We deal with both corporate investigations on behalf of clients and investigations by government agencies into our clients. We know that investigations by government agencies such as HMRC or the SFO can have serious consequences for any business or individual. The authorities are now increasingly assertive in their use of powers and can, on occasion, seem to be hostile and intransigent towards businesses or individuals who appear on their radar.
    In particular the tax authorities in the UK are cooperating with agencies around the world in order to gather intelligence on the “tax gap.”

    HMRC’s current strategy can be summarised as:
    • Hard-line and aggressive towards those they consider ‘non-compliant’.
    • Increasing financial intelligence through the use of money laundering information and information sharing with overseas governments.
    • Combining the powers of the former Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise to allow HMRC to be a very powerful intelligence led organisation.

  • Types of tax matters we deal with

    At Aegis we are currently dealing with or have dealt with a whole variety of tax matters
    such as:

    General
    • Investigations involving avoidance schemes.
    • Civil Fraud investigations into alleged false accounting
    • Litigation on technical challenges to HMRC’s interpretation of tax law.

    VAT
    • Litigation involving cross-border place of supply issues.
    • Litigation on technical challenges to HMRC’s interpretation of tax law.
    • Assistance with verification of VAT returns for supplies of alcohol

    Excise
    • ‘Joint and several liability’ on diversion of duty-suspended goods.
    • Technical and legal advice on hydrocarbon oils.
    • Investigations into frauds involving alcohol and tobacco.
    • Detentions and seizures of dutiable goods.

    Customs

    Where specialist advice is needed on a range of direct tax matters we use Aegis Tax SA who are based in Jersey and Switzerland. We work closely with Aegis Tax SA on a range of matters and work under Swiss privacy laws on tax enquiries.

    • Alleged EU cross-border fraud
    • Supply chain investigations
    • Litigation involving incorrect entry classification or duty reliefs.

  • Forensic Accounting

    Cases involving civil and criminal fraud involve considerable documentary examination, analysis and review. Our team of qualified chartered accountants served in senior positions with the Big 4 accounting firms and have a track record of success. They are engaged by law firms throughout the UK on major fraud cases in both a private and legally aided capacity.

  • Asset Tracing

    Aegis is able to call upon its world-wide network to identify funds, both on-shore and off-shore on cases involving:

    - Corporate fraud
    - Money laundering
    - Tax evasion
    - Criminal activity

  • Financial investigations and Due Diligence

    Aegis can review the financial security of potential business partners in any merger or acquisition. Aegis also conducts financial investigations, tax compliance and money laundering reviews, and is well respected in the offshore arena by banks and trusts. In recent years we have worked with major law firms in assisting them to locate funds around the world. These locations have ranges from Cyprus to the Caribbean. Aegis has conducted tax compliance and anti-money laundering reviews in Jersey, Isle of Man and Cyprus on behalf of banks and trusts wishing to mitigate their risk of exposure to tax evasion.

  • Risk and Crisis Management

    Working with specialists in the media such as Media House( www.mediahouse.co.uk). We are able to develop strategies to identify and resolve problems. Being pro-active when wider investigations can often involve developing a media strategy to get “your side of the story across.” When tax or regulatory agencies raid a client’s premises it is imperative to establish media control in order to restore confidence.

  • Intelligence – ARIG LLP

    At Aegis our sister firm ARIG LLP is able to obtain high quality intelligence from around the world. We have offices in Romania, Cyprus , London and Scotland and working relationships with like-minded firms in North America and the Middle-East. (www.arigllp.co.uk)