Our People

Sean Kivdeh (1992)

Team

Education

Homerton College – University of Cambridge. Currently researching and studying postgraduate in Criminology.

LL.B. ; LL.M. (UCL)

Practice

Criminal Fraud - money laundering.

During his practice at the Criminal Bar Sean has conducted the defence in some of the most serious criminal cases including terrorism, counterfeit currency, international conspiracies concerning drugs importations, large scale bank frauds, internet phishing cases, murder, rape, kidnapping and immigration offences such as people trafficking.

Since 2001 he has been regularly instructed as leading junior counsel.

Sean also assists in the pro bono preparation of cases being referred to the CCRC (Criminal Cases Review Commission).

Sean has an academic interest and researchs in money laundering and confiscation proceedings.

Notable cases

R v Sakavickas No.1 [2005] 1 WLR 857
R v R (Ramzan & Others) [2007] 1 Cr. App. R 150
R v El Kurd & Others [2007] EWCA Crim 1888.
R v AA [2007] EWCA Crim 390
R v D. [2008] All ER (D) 93 (Mar)

Some of the current cases and cases conducted in the last 7 years include:

2011 R v KK & Others. Multi-handed internet Phishing case involving an international conspiracy to defraud major high street banks in this country as well as banks in other European countries and America, in the sum of £1.6M. The case was partly investigated by the United States FBI agency. Instructed as leading junior. Croydon Crown Court.

2011 R v D. & others. Described by the prosecutions as the largest ever case of international cannabis cultivation on an industrial scale discovered in the UK. This is a multi-handed case involving 24 defendants. Instructed as leading junior. At the Old Bailey.

2011 R v TJ. & others. Multi-handed case of money laundering conspiracy in the sum of £50 M by a number of money exchange businesses transferring cash to Dubai and Pakistan. Instructed as leading junior. Isleworth Crown Court.

2011 R v MLP. Large scale drugs and money laundering case involving importation of opium. Instructed as leading junior. Croydon Crown Court.

2010 R v J & P. This case concerns a conspiracy to traffic for exploitation, whereby the defendants are accused of attempting to sell a child. This case arose from a “News of the world” journalistic investigation. Inner London Crown Court.

2010 R v ER. at Kingston Crown Court. One of the biggest money laundering and drugs importation cases ever in the UK legal system. The street value of the drugs was £2.4 Billion. International case involving 5 other jurisdictions around the world.

2010 R v AN. at Southwark Crown court. A case arising from Operation Rize. This concerned a major police investigation into one of the largest safety deposit houses in London at Hampstead.

2010 R v Ky. at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Money laundering and banking fraud involving a conspiracy to divert payments from one set of accounts to another.

2010 R v Pz. at Inner London Crown Court. Immigration facilitation case. Conspiracy to facilitate the entry of asylum seekers into the EU.

2009 R v UP. at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Immigration offences of facilitation involving a conspiracy to obtain UK visas by deception for over 70 people from China and India. Instructed as leading junior.

2009 R v Po. at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Arguably the largest bank robbery of all time in the UK. The case concerned removing the sum of £300M from a London based Japanese bank. The fraud was being conducted through interference with the bank's computers. The lost amounts were recovered because of a computer systems failure. This case involved 59 months of investigation, 500 interviews and 1.8 Terabits of paper work and information.

2009 R v Si. Southwark Crown Court. Theft of a house and money laundering. This case was about a conspiracy involving 2 conveyancing solicitors and an estate agent.

2008 R v BO. at Southwark Crown Court. First ever "internet phishing" case in the world to come to a criminal trial. The charge was conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. 5 Defendants. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2008 R v S. & Others at Harrow Crown Court. Conspiracy - 5 Defendants. Money laundering in the sum of £6 M. International links. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2008 R v H. at Blackfriars Crown Court. The theft of the painting "Women at the fountain", by William Etty from the Victoria and Albert museum.

2008 R v G. at Harrow Crown Court -Conspiracy- multi handed. Kidnapping, False imprisonment, Rape, Blackmail and use of Firearms. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2008 R v V. at Harrow Crown Court. Conspiracy to launder money £3.5M. 9 Defendants from 3 linked trials. Involving carousel fraud and cheat on Inland Revenue.

2008 R v K. at the Old Bailey. Attempted murder arising from a domestic violence incident.

2007 R v M. & Oths. at Harrow Crown Court -6 Defendants. Conspiracy to kidnap, falsely imprison and blackmail. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2007 R v C. & Oths. at Snaresbrook Crown Court.- 6 Defendants. Conspiracy to handle over 1000 stolen cars with an international connection. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2006 R v KR. at the Old Bailey. Conspiracy to cause acts of terrorism. An East London plumber accused of plotting to cause acts of terrorism. The media labelled this case as “Islamic terrorism”.

2005 R v MM. Conspiracy to defraud high street banks by using a charitable company in Nigeria. Instructed as leading junior counsel.

2004 R v NR. at the Old Bailey -Conspiracy to murder. 7 Defendants.

2003 R v C. & Others. at Worcester Crown Court. Conspiracy - 6 Defendants. Counterfeit currency $22 M. US Dollars. FBI and Secret Services involved in the operation. Allegations involved a conspiracy sponsored by terrorist organisations and former officers of the KGB. Instructed as leading (Jnr) Counsel.

2003 R v SaK. Chelmsford Crown Court. Multi-handed money laundering case of £5.8 M. The case concerned the fur coat trade in eastern-Europe and unlawful importation of cigarettes. Instructed as leading junior counsel.

Profile

Sean is a registered pupil supervisor.

His interests include reading and skiing.

Memberships

Criminal Bar Association, South Eastern Circuit, Middle Temple, Liberty.