Former senior London police officer, Nick Ephgrave, is set to lead the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The agency, known for investigating major business crimes, recently faced controversies and courtroom losses.
Ephgrave, previously an assistant commissioner for London’s Metropolitan Police Service, will start his initial five-year term as the SFO’s director in late September, according to the UK's attorney general.
He succeeds Lisa Osofsky, whose tenure witnessed high-profile corporate settlements and significant legal setbacks, including an investigation into the agency’s case handling of Monaco-based oil consulting firm Unaoil.
Ephgrave's appointment marks a shift for the SFO. Unlike former directors with public prosecution experience, Ephgrave is the agency's first non-lawyer director. Osofsky, a dual U.S.-U.K. citizen, had served as a U.S. federal prosecutor and deputy general counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and had roles at Goldman Sachs and two risk consultancies.
The SFO, unlike the U.S. Justice Department, combines investigators and prosecutors in one organization to handle complex crimes requiring consistent legal input.
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