FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS INVESTIGATIONS EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Foundation Alleges "Magic Circle" Freshfields and Defense Giant General Dynamics UK Committed Wire Fraud to Seize £10m London Asset
SIOUX FALLS, SD & LONDON – Financial Fraudster News Investigations has learned that a formal criminal and civil complaint alleging violations of the U.S. Wire Fraud statute is being prepared against UK-based defense contractor General Dynamics UK. ("GDUK") and its "magic circle" law firm, Freshfields LLP ("Freshfields").
At the heart of the allegations is a 7 November 2025 UK court application, signed under a statement of truth by Freshfields partner "Sarah Parkes."
Documents reviewed by Financial Fraudster News Investigation suggest this application, which was transmitted via wire from London to a U.S. server, contains "materially false and misleading" statements designed to deceive a UK judge.
The alleged object of the scheme: to unlawfully seize 7 Winnington Close, a £10 million London property, from its U.S.-based beneficial owner, the Gottlieb Cohen Foundation (a South Dakota registered entity which trades as The Trustee of Capitana Seas 2008 Trust).
The complaint alleges that GDUK and its lawyers, acting as part of a conspiracy, knowingly fabricated a "fantasy" narrative to defraud the U.S. entity of its asset, even after being repeatedly warned in writing that their claims were false and based on information they knew to be untrue.
The Scheme to Defraud: The "Fantasy Application"
On 7 November 2025, Sarah Parkes of Freshfields, acting for GDUK, filed an intervention application in the UK County Court (Claim No. K0QZ48AX). This application seeks to set aside two existing court orders (the "Britlin Order" of Nov 2024 and the "Gerald Order" of July 2025) that confirm the Trust as the rightful owner of 7 Winnington Close.
The GDUK application, reviewed by this publication, puts forward three central "fantasy" arguments to allege the Trust's orders are fraudulent:
The "Collusion" Fantasy: GDUK claims the Trust's 2023 claim was "collusive." Their sole evidence is a statement from the State of Libya's current lawyers (Squire Patton Boggs) that they "had never seen or been made aware of" the claim. GDUK alleges the Trust served a "stooge" entity, Paine Crow and Partners (PCP), to fake Libya's consent.
The "Fraudulent Orders" Fantasy: GDUK claims the Trust's remedy (the Britlin/Gerald orders) was the fraud, and that the original 2012 Popplewell Judgment (which gave the property to Libya) is the valid title.
The "former businessman’s" Fantasy: GDUK claims the Trust's entire case is a "nullity" because it was really filed by a former businessman, a vexatious litigant, in breach of a s.42 High Court order.
The Rebuttal: Why the GDUK Application is Allegedly Fraudulent
Sources close to the Foundation argue that GDUK's 7 November application is not just wrong, but a deliberate act of fraud, as Freshfields was allegedly in possession of evidence disproving its own "fantasies."
Rebutting the "Collusion" Fantasy: GDUK's claim that PCP is a "stooge" is demonstrably false and a material misrepresentation to the court. Court records confirm PCP has been a judicially-recognized agent for The State of Libya since 2009.
A 2021 Norwich County Court order (G01NRXXX) by District Judge Wahiwala explicitly identifies PCP as "the Defendant's agent" for The State of Libya at its 85 Great Portland Street address.
A 2020 Plymouth County Court order (F00PLXXX) by HHJ Mitchell confirms PCP "acted as agent for Dalia Advisory Ltd a subsidiary of the Libya Investment Authority... since 19th January 2010".
A 2019 Leeds County Court order (F01LSXXX) District Judge Adkinson confirms PCP's role as agent for an LIA subsidiary "since 2009".
The Trust argues that its service on PCP was the correct legal procedure and that GDUK's reliance on the "ignorance" of Libya's new law firm is a "bad-faith" tactic.
Rebutting the "The former businessman’s" Fantasy:
The application's second pillar—that the former businessman filed the claim in breach of a High Court order—is described as a "malicious and demonstrable lie."
The former businessman, sentenced in December 2013 for 12 years, was incarcerated for the vast majority of the claim's duration and was only released in March 2025.
The Foundation asserts that the former businessman's financial position, stemming from a 2011 Share Assignment, was managed by a blind trust specifically to ensure he could not breach any court orders while imprisoned.
The final settlement with Libya's agent (PCP) was the result of "protracted negotiations" that concluded after his release, at which point he was lawfully able to act as a consultant and provide the "critical intelligence" (the 2009 CHAPS payment slip) that proved the Trust's ownership.
GDUK's application, signed by Sarah Parkes, omits this context to present a narrative to the court that the Foundation alleges is knowingly false.
The Mens Rea (Intent to Defraud): The "Smoking Gun" Email Trail
The complaint's central allegation of intent (known in law as mens rea) rests on a "smoking gun" email trail. Freshfields was allegedly warned repeatedly that its position was false but proceeded anyway.
Financial Fraudster News Investigations has reviewed copies of this correspondence, which was sent to Sarah Parkes and her colleagues at Freshfields:
24 June 2025: "FORMAL NOTICE" The Trust's legal team wrote to GDUK's prior lawyers, notifying them that its claim was based on Libya's "admission of fraud" regarding the original 2012 (Shaban) judgment.
22 August 2025: "CEASE AND DESIST" The Trust sent a "Cease and Desist" notice to Freshfields, stating they were "furthering a fraud" and that the Trust was the "legal and beneficial owner," a fact "confirmed by multiple UK judges".
6 October 2025: "FINAL NOTICE BEFORE ACTION" The Trust sent a final warning to Sarah Parkes personally. It called her firm's position a "bad-faith tactic" and a "conscious and calculated act to further a judicially confirmed fraud." It explicitly warned her about the Statement of Truth she had signed, which is the precursor to contempt of court.
Despite these warnings, on 7 November 2025, Sarah Parkes and Freshfields filed their intervention application, repeating the very claims the Trust had labeled as "fantasy."
The U.S. Crime: Wire Fraud in Breach of U.S. Law
The 7 November application is now the basis for a U.S. wire fraud complaint.
The Scheme: GDUK and Freshfields conspired to defraud the Foundation of its Property.
The Act: On 7 November 2025, Freshfields (from London, UK) transmitted its allegedly fraudulent application and witness statement via email .
The Wire: This email was sent to a Capitana Seas Trust email address
The U.S. Nexus: The Gottlieb Cohen Foundation is a registered entity in South Dakota, USA, and its Capitana Seas Trust email address email server is located within the United States.
The transmission of knowingly false documents from a foreign country (UK) to a US server to deprive a US-registered entity of its asset is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud).
The Gottlieb Cohen Foundation is now understood to be preparing a formal complaint for the U.S. District Court, alleging GDUK, Freshfields, and its partners conspired to commit wire fraud.
For further inquiries, contact:
Financial Fraudster News Investigations
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