Persons who fail to account are liable to have assets seized after an enforcement authority, such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), makes a successful appeal to the High Court.
The power of UWOs in fighting money laundering lies in their reverse onus principle,[2] however the orders are ineffective as soon as a defendant can provide an explanation for the source of their wealth.
She was thus required to "provide the NCA with a full account of the sources of her wealth – including how she was able to buy her £15m home and the Mill Ride Golf Course in Berkshire".
[7] Nurali Aliyev (Nursultan Nazarbayev's grandson) and his mother Dariga Nazarbayeva "have denied all wrongdoing – saying they can prove independent and legitimate wealth for their UK property investments".
[8] On 8 April 2020, the High Court of Justice subsequently ruled that the case against the two be dismissed and that the properties be unfrozen "after they spoke more candidly about the sources and scope of their wealth".