We have extensive experience in criminal investigations and criminal prosecutions, and we assist clients in every phase of the criminal proceedings. We represent the suspect or the accused who is being charged, and we also represent the victim or the aggrieved party.

Criminal law is virtually present in every branch of law, and more and more companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals are implicated inadvertently as an aggrieved party or as a possible suspect.

We assist clients from the start of a criminal investigation or criminal prosecution. We try to effectively avoid criminal prosecution and have extensive experience in reaching out-of-court solutions such as an amicable settlement under criminal law. It is always important to proceed in a strategically thought-out way from the very beginning with a view to achieving a beneficial outcome on a long term. 

If prosecution is unavoidable, then we assist our client throughout the entire course of the proceedings, up to and including the proceedings before the Court of Cassation.

We have more than 20 years of experience that is focused on an array of sectors: industrial, banks and insurances, government bodies, transport, telecom, IT, sport management, diamond, etc. 

The cases that we handle for our clients are often media-sensitive. Where necessary, we determine with the client the most appropriate way to deal with the press.

Our involvement is not limited to criminal prosecution, strictly speaking. We also assist clients in investigations conducted by other bodies, such as OLAF (the European Anti-Fraud Office), the Belgian Audit Oversight College (or the CTR in Dutch or CSR in French), and the FSMA (Financial Services and Markets Authority), for example, in cases concerning market abuse.

Clients sometimes seek our help before the authorities have started any investigation. We would then guide our clients in performing a risk-analysis and discuss with them the most appropriate strategy. 

Some examples of our work in criminal investigation and criminal prosecution matters include:

  • assisting a client in a criminal investigation into corruption in the context of property development of industrial estates (or business parks) and also concerning tax fraud;
  • assisting a multinational company that is active in the beverage production sector in an investigation into violations of customs and excise legislation;
  • assisting a reputable consulting company in a fraud investigation conducted by OLAF (the European Anti-Fraud Office);
  • assisting a sport management and sports brokerage company in an investigation into money-laundering and criminal enterprise;
  • assisting a renowned accountancy firm in a prosecution for facts of document falsification and subsidy fraud;
  • assisting a company and one of its directors in an investigation into and prosecution for falsification of documents  and money-laundering based on an underlying tax felony;
  • assisting a public-listed company and some of its directors in an investigation conducted by the FSMA (the Financial Services and Markets Authority) into facts concerning market manipulation.