Diana Czugler
Diana is a Senior Associate in our Business Crime & Investigations team. Her practice focusses on defending persons under investigation by authorities in the UK or overseas, including advising on linked extradition, mutual legal assistance, sanctions and proceeds of crime issues.
Diana has a wealth of experience advising individual and corporate clients on complex and sensitive issues spanning the criminal and regulatory sphere, as well as handling related reputational, forensics and risk management matters. Clients have described Diana as a “brilliant and safe pair of hands” and “extremely helpful and calm”.
Diana’s practice encompasses pre-charge representation and strategic advice (including around conducting internal investigations and self-reporting considerations), defending public and private prosecutions (together with related asset restraint and forfeiture proceedings) as well as handling regulatory enquiries with a cross-border element. Diana also regularly advises on international co-operation, mutual legal assistance and extradition requests, having successfully acted for a number of clients subject to INTERPOL Red Notices. Diana represents individuals and corporates in contentious and non-contentious financial, trade sanctions and export controls-related matters, including designation challenges, UK compliance advice and sanctions enforcement.
Diana is a chartered accountant with a particular interest in allegations of complex financial misconduct, and with first-hand experience of advising persons under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Financial Conduct Authority, HM Revenue & Customs, the Serious Fraud Office and the City of London Police. Diana also regularly acts in non-financial conduct allegations, having successfully defended a client accused of harassment in a highly publicised case. Diana strives to achieve early results for her clients whenever possible.
Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Diana worked for a Big 4 accountancy firm on risk advisory and compliance matters, as well as on a LIBOR-linked investigation. Diana trained with Peters & Peters and has returned to the firm after gaining experience of corporate crime matters at a Magic Circle firm.
Case examples
Acting for ultra-high net individuals in overseas embezzlement and fraud investigation, including global strategic coordination and advising on linked reputation management, safe passage and public relations matters.
Advising client subject to private prosecution on fraud, false accounting and forgery charges.
Successfully removing INTERPOL Red Notice for clients accused of terrorism offences abroad, including managing linked regulatory reporting obligations.
Advising financial institution in a US dual-track criminal and regulatory investigation into spoofing allegations, including overseeing large-scale document production and internal investigation.
Acting pro-bono for a client accused of negligent manslaughter and related extradition, mutual legal assistance and coronial inquest matters.
Related expertise
- Account Freezing & Forfeiture & Cash Detention
- Bribery & Corruption
- Business Crime & Investigations
- Criminal Cartels
- Criminal Fraud
- Criminal Restraint & Confiscation
- Cybercrime & Data Theft
- Dawn Raids
- Employee Fraud
- Financial Services Investigations & Enforcement
- INTERPOL Red Notices
- Inquiries & Inquests
- Internal Investigations
- Money Laundering
- Mutual Legal Assistance
- Private Prosecutions
- Sanctions & Export Controls
- Serious & General Crime
- Tax Investigations
- Tax Prosecutions
- Unexplained Wealth Orders