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ARTICLE · 08 FEBRUARY 2018

Unexplained Wealth Orders: Now In Force

Mishcon de Reya LLP
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The new Unexplained Wealth Orders regime came into force on Wednesday 31 January 2018.

United KingdomCriminal Law
Gareth Minty
Gareth Minty

The new Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) regime came into force on Wednesday 31 January 2018.

What are UWOs?

UWOs are orders requiring a person ("the respondent") to provide a statement setting out the nature and extent of their interest in a particular property. The statement must explain how the interest in that property was funded, and the respondent may also be required to provide further information or documents.

If the respondent fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the UWO within the time specified in the Order, the property in question is presumed to be recoverable by law enforcement as the proceeds of crime in civil recovery proceedings. The burden is then on the respondent to prove the contrary.

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