FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS EXPOSE: Starling Bank's Unlawful Freezing of Funds Draws Scrutiny, Continues Harm to Angelica Kinder (Name Withheld for Legal Purposes)
London, UK – 5th June 2025 – Financial Fraudster News can today reveal a shocking escalation in the ongoing saga of unlawfully frozen funds, as Starling Bank stands accused of wilfully refusing to release assets to account holder Angelica Kinder (name withheld for legal purposes), despite the clear expiration of a highly questionable Account Freezing Order (AFO). This refusal comes even after legal advice, seemingly influenced by the controversial HMRC Officer Lucy Craig, and is causing significant and ongoing harm to Ms. Kinder.
The core of the dispute centers on a fundamental misinterpretation of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) by Starling Bank. Funds belonging to Ms. Kinder were initially frozen under an AFO obtained by HMRC Officer Lucy Craig. However, according to Ms. Kinder's legal correspondence, which Financial Fraudster News has obtained, this AFO has definitively expired.
"Let me be absolutely clear: the Account Freezing Order concerning my funds has expired," states Angelica Kinder in a recent urgent communication to Starling Bank. "An AFO is a temporary measure, typically with a defined duration. Once this period lapses, the order ceases to have any legal effect, and the bank is no longer lawfully obligated to hold the funds."
Starling Bank, in its latest response, has inexplicably cited Section 303Z14(6) of POCA 2002, claiming that an "application for forfeiture" by HMRC's Lucy Craig allows them to continue holding the funds. However, Ms. Kinder's robustly refutes this interpretation, asserting it is "entirely misplaced." Legal experts consulted by Financial Fraudster News confirm that this section only applies to an AFO that is active and unexpired when a forfeiture application is lodged. It does not, in any way, revive an expired AFO or create a new legal basis for a bank to freeze funds where the original order has lapsed.
The severity of Starling Bank's actions is further amplified by Ms. Kinder's direct contact with the relevant court, which has confirmed no Account Forfeiture Notice has been lawfully lodged, nor is any court date for such proceedings in the court's diary. This directly contradicts the information apparently conveyed to Starling Bank by HMRC's Ms. Craig, suggesting a disturbing lack of due diligence or, worse, complicity in maintaining an unlawful freeze.
"The mere statement by Lucy Craig of an 'application for forfeiture' having been lodged, or the issuance of a forfeiture notice, does not automatically allow a bank to hold funds previously frozen under an expired AFO," Ms. Kinder asserts. "The expired AFO ceases to have effect, and the funds must be released unless a new, valid, and distinct court order has been issued that specifically empowers the bank to continue holding those assets. Your response does not amount to, nor can it create, such an order."
This alarming situation is not isolated. Financial Fraudster News has previously exposed serious allegations of misconduct against HMRC Officer Lucy Craig, including accusations of perverting the course of public justice and fraud by abuse of position, stemming from an investigation into funds that our reporting, supported by witness statements, has shown to be of lawful origin. The purported grounds for the initial AFO against Ms. Kinder's funds have also been widely discredited.
Starling Bank's ongoing refusal to release the funds, despite the AFO's expiry, the absence of any valid continuing order, and the public refutation of its underlying basis, constitutes an unlawful deprivation of assets. Ms. Kinder's legal team is preparing to commence formal legal proceedings for unlawful withholding of funds, seeking full restitution and substantial damages for financial loss, inconvenience, and distress, including an urgent injunction.
In a final warning, Ms. Kinder stated, "Your bank's ongoing refusal to release my funds... constitutes an unlawful deprivation of my assets. This persistent inaction is causing severe and quantifiable harm, for which Starling Bank will be held fully accountable." She has given Starling Bank until 14:00 BST today, 5th June 2025, to comply, failing which legal action will be initiated immediately.
This expose highlights a troubling precedent where a financial institution, after seemingly relying on discredited information from a controversial HMRC officer, continues to defy clear legal principles, causing demonstrable harm to an individual. Financial Fraudster News will continue to monitor this developing story closely, advocating for transparency, accountability, and the immediate release of unlawfully frozen funds.
Related Article:
EXPOSED: HMRC Officer Lucy Craig Accused of Wilful Non-Disclosure in £600k Money Laundering Probe
FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS INVESTIGATES: Starling Bank Accused of Unlawfully Blocking Customer Funds
