UK company director in hot water over suspected perfume exports to Russia
The UK’s High Court has ordered the interim removal of a director in charge of a group of companies who was suspected of breaching sanctions by exporting perfume to Russia.
According to the 5 July ruling, David Crisp was arrested on 10 October last year by HMRC agents ‘on suspicion of breaching the Russian sanctions legislation.’ It said that his mobile phone, iPad and laptop were confiscated.
The ruling said HMRC had confirmed that Mr Crisp remains under criminal investigation.
The case against Crisp was brought by David Garofalo, one of the shareholders in the group of companies he managed.
‘The allegation was that Mr Crisp had caused the Respondent Companies without the knowledge or consent of Mr Garofalo to export perfume to Russia in breach of sanctions regulations,’ the judge explained in his ruling.
Garofalo had asked for an injunction to remove Crisp and install new directors, and the court said it found an ‘exceptionally strong prima facie case that there had been unfair conduct’ by the defendant.
High Court Judge Clive Freedman wrote: ‘The overall conclusion on this de novo consideration of the order is that the Petitioner has satisfied the Court that the change of management order is appropriate and that it should remain in force until trial or earlier order and will not be discharged.’
