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Serious Fraud Office

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is an arm of the UK government, accountable to the Attorney-General. It is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of suspected cases of serious or complex fraud where £1 million or more are involved or covers more than one national jurisdiction, though it is rare for cases involving less than £1 million to be taken.

It has jurisdiction over England and Wales and Northern Ireland but not Scotland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. It is not a police force and its members have no direct personal executive powers, such as the power of arrest. Each case is dealt with by a case team made up of various professionals such as lawyers, forensic accountants and police officers seconded from police forces.