The South West Fraud Forum - Autumn 2025 Conference

The South West Fraud Forum invites its members (existing and new) to our Autumn Conference on 21 October 2025.

This event is free for members - request your discount code by emailing [email protected]

This year's conference promises an insightful look into ‘Fraud in Sport’.

Whether you are an experienced practitioner or new to the sector, the SWFF was set up with the aim of increasing the resilience of regional organisations to the threats posed by fraud, and this event is tailored to the pursuance of that aim.

The Autumn 2025 conference is a key opportunity for fraud prevention practitioners, and anyone responsible for fraud risk, to develop essential and practical knowledge and to meet likeminded industry professionals.

SWFF is delighted to welcome speakers from:

National Crime Agency – Arthur Whitehead

Arthur has spent 20 years in law enforcement with the Metropolitan Police, Cheshire Constabulary and the National Crime Agency and currently has the role of Deputy Head of the UK Law enforcement Liaison Bureau at Europol. He leads on Project TACHYGENIC, which was set up to better understand the relationship between Serious and Organised Criminals and Sport in collaboration with international partners such as Europol, INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Arthur is also undertaking his PhD on the issue of SOC in sport.

The Insolvency Service – Kevin Read

Kevin Read is a Chief Investigator in the Insolvency Service specialising in civil investigations. He leads a team of investigators across 4 regions responsible for bringing director disqualification and compensation order applications. He has over 30 years’ experience in insolvency, previously acting as Official Receiver for the West Midlands region for over 5 years.

Kevin is a qualified ACCA accountant and is currently a board member of ALEFA UK, a cross government organisation of forensic accountants. He also acts as a local Parish Councillor.

Forum Chambers – Benjamin Fitzmaurice

Benjamin Fitzmaurice is a globally experienced Counsel at Forum Chambers, with a multi-jurisdictional practice spanning the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Hong Kong, Europe and Singapore. He specializes in a wide range of areas, including commercial litigation, arbitration, insolvency, intellectual property and sports law.

Benjamin offers tailored legal solutions to clients across diverse sectors, drawing on his deep expertise in both contentious and non-contentious matters. His practice includes advising on complex cross-border issues and providing strategic counsel to businesses navigating international legal landscapes, Benjamin also has acted for a number of HNW individuals and family offices.

In addition to his litigation practice, Benjamin is a skilled mediator and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioner, with substantial experience in arbitration involving multi-jurisdictional disputes.

i-Lit Support – Michael Taylor and Richard Covell

Mike Taylor is the founder and director of i-Lit Limited, a leading UK consultancy specialising in e-disclosure and legal technology solutions.

He obtained his postgraduate diploma in law from Nottingham Law School and was called to the Bar in 1998. Mike’s early legal career involved working on several high-profile public inquiries, followed by managing the Multi-Party Action Litigation department at Clarke Willmott and serving as Legal Consultant at Kroll Ontrack.

In 2006, Mike established i-Lit Limited to provide independent, impartial advice on e-disclosure matters to law firms and their clients, with clients including The International Criminal Court, The Billy Wright Inquiry, major law firms such as CMS, Osborne Clarke and

Towers & Hamlin, as well as FTSE100 corporates.

Richard Covell – Starting as a forensic accountant, Richard began his forensic technology career at Kroll, then going on to spend many years at Deloitte (where he established and led the firm’s forensic technology team in Manchester) before moving to i-Lit.

He has almost 30 years’ experience in all aspects of eDisclosure, Digital Forensics and Document Review; including working with law firms, public sector and corporate clients on a wide array of contentious matters (including a number of high-profile, international,

multi-billion dollar fraud and litigation matters).

Over the past two years, Richard and i-Lit have pioneered the adoption of Generative AI in dispute and investigation matters, providing technology and consultancy to law firms to help them embrace this amazing technology.

Citadel Chambers – Daniel White

Daniel White, a criminal and sports law barrister at Citadel Chambers, who specialises in the prosecution and defence of all grave criminal offences, sits as a Judicial Officer on Sports Tribunals and represents elite and amateur athletes before their various disciplinary tribunals.

Daniel sits as one of England's Judicial Officers for World Rugby, European Rugby ("EPCR"), The Rugby Football Union and is appointed to the Sport Resolutions Panel of arbitrators.

The Gambling Commission – Nick Oliver

Nick serves as the Intelligence Manager at the Gambling Commission of Great

Britain, overseeing the Commission’s operations related to Betting Integrity. He

joined the organisation in 2008, following a distinguished 22-year career in the Royal Air Force Police where he specialised in intelligence and covert policing methods.

Established in 2007 under the Gambling Act 2005, the Commission regulates individuals and businesses offering gambling services across Great Britain—including the UK National Lottery.

Nick played a pivotal role in the creation of the Commission’s Sports Betting

Intelligence Unit (SBIU), which launched in 2010. Under his leadership, the SBIU has gained international recognition for its work in combating betting-related corruption in sport.

Beyond domestic efforts, Nick actively contributes to international initiatives aimed at tackling match fixing. He represents the United Kingdom’s National Platform within the Council of Europe’s Group of Copenhagen, a network of member states that

subscribe to the principles set out in the Macolin Convention, an internationally

recognised treaty established to counter the manipulation of sporting events.

His expertise has been sought in publications by the UNODC and by the UK

Government for advice on sport-related corruption. He has taken part in expert

missions and thematic projects focused on building anti-match fixing capabilities in other countries, working closely with stakeholders such as the International Olympic Committee, FIFA and UEFA.

When not immersed in integrity operations, Nick enjoys mountain biking, swimming, and cooking. A proud armchair fan, he cheers on Leeds United from home.

This event is free to members.

Membership

An annual membership to The SWFF is £135 and provides access to our Annual Conference and networking event during the year.

Join here: https://swff.org.uk/members/shop/swff-membership/

Discounted membership is available to public sector, charities and not-for-profits - contact [email protected] for details.

By registering, you agree to be contacted from time to time by the SWFF, regarding events and news.

Get Involved

If you would like to speak or sponsor future events, please email us for more information at [email protected]

Sponsors:

Info: Topic: Crime in Sport

Info: Topic: Tacking Director Misconduct in Sports Related Cases - a Case Study

Info: Topic: To follow

Info: Topic: Use of Generative AI in fraud investigations, and particularly its potential application to Sports Fraud matters

Info: Topic: Are Sports Regulatory Bodies and their disciplinary processes adequately dealing with Fraud in Sport

Info: Topic: Betting-Related Corruption and Match-Fixing in Sport

Info: Topic: Police and Gambling Industry Collaboration

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