Monica Bond is Principal of Bond Solicitors.

Monica has a unique combination of skills and experience. She is both an experienced solicitor with more than 13 years in practice and an experienced accountant with over 20 years in professional practice. In all, she has been in commerce or professional practice for over 30 years.

Monica's particular specialisms have been in Anti-Money Laundering, fraud investigations and recoveries and commercial litigation. In addition to being Principal of Bond Solicitors she is also Managing Director of Bond Associates Limited, a firm of Investigative Accountants.

The following are just a few highlights from a long and varied professional career:-

♦ Since 1988, Monica has been involved in some of the major fraud investigations that have taken place in the UK. In the 1990s she was involved in the investigations into Polly Peck, BCCI, Banco Ambrosiano and John Palmer (Goldfinger). Within her own businesses she has been involved in banking fraud investigations at GE Capital in Prague, the recovery of £5 million defrauded from an individual in a Prime Bank Instrument Fraud and a £13 million fraud on bond holders.

♦ In 1994, Monica, whilst she was Forensic Services Partner at Grant Thornton, was the author of the Accountants Digest on Money Laundering published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Since that time she has become a leading expert on anti-money laundering policy and procedures. She has lectured throughout the world, particularly in South America where she lectured on behalf of the US Treasury and more recently in the Middle East and Asia.

♦ In 2004, Monica conducted a risk review of procedures at the London Branch of a Spanish Bank, which resulted in putting in place their whole anti-money laundering system and developing risk models for both fraud and money laundering risks.

♦ Monica has acted as an expert witness/expert advisor in a wide variety of matters including,:-

• Court Expert Witness on the largest criminal asset confiscation case prosecuted by the DTI (2004)

• Expert advisor in Divorce case involving £20 million of disputed assets (2005-2007)

• Expert witness in an asset valuation case of UK on-shore gas fields valued at over £200m (2007)

• Expert advisor in litigation against former directors of a regulated insurance company where fraud is alleged.(2008-2009)

• Expert advisor in an intellectual property and investment fraud involving a formation agent. Legal areas covered fraud and professional negligence (2005-2008)

• Expert advisor in a procurement fraud where breach of contract was also alleged. The case culminated in criminal conviction followed by an £8.1 million recovery (2006-2009). The case is regarded as a leading case and can be viewed on this link.

♦ In the area of Commercial Litigation, Monica was responsible in 2007 for obtaining £225,000 in damages for pre-contract misrepresentations in a franchise contract. This is one illustration of many which could be given where she has achieved successful results for clients.

Professional and Academic Qualifications