A joint investigation between the London RART and the Metropolitan Police Service’s Human Smuggling Unit was finally concluded on April 11, 2008, at Southwark Crown Court, London, with the issuing of a Criminal Justice Act, 1988, confiscation order against Ms Evguenia Svayatoslavovna Noskova.

In May 2002, Ms Noskova, a thirty-two year old woman, who is originally from St. Petersburg in Russia, was arrested at by the Human Smuggling Unit, on suspicion of committing money laundering and people trafficking offences. 

The investigation of Ms Noskova was linked to the investigation of a man called Mr Antonio Russo, a human trafficker who was responsible for arranging sham marriages for Eastern Europeans seeking residence in the United Kingdom.  Mr Russo, who is also originally from Russia, was residing in this country illegally using a fake Italian identity.

Using the money from his crimes, Mr Russo had established an extensive portfolio in London, including houses and businesses, to facilitate the integration and disguising of the proceeds of his criminal activity.

Following his conviction for forgery and fraud offences, at Isleworth Crown Court, London, in September 2002, a confiscation investigation commenced to establish Mr Russo’s benefit from crime.  Later, in April 2003, a confiscation hearing, at the same courthouse, found that Mr Russo had a criminal benefit in an amount in excess of £1 million, and a confiscation order was issued to reflect this.  It was in the course of the investigation, that the extent of Ms Noskova’s involvement with Mr Russo’s financial affairs became apparent. 

It was revealed that she had liquidated many of Mr Russo’s and her own assets, after he had transferred proprietorship of the majority of his wealth to her.  In July 2003, she was in the process of removing their combined wealth to Spain and to Russia, when her actions were halted with the issuing of a Restraint Order, granted by the Royal Courts of Justice.  She was subsequently charged with money laundering offences and was found guilty of conspiring to money launder on December 19, 2003, at Isleworth Crown Court.

The consequent confiscation proceedings continued until a final hearing took place at Southwark Crown Court, on April 11, 2008.  On this date, the Court accepted that Ms Noskova had benefitted from her criminal activities.  It determined that her benefit from crime was £1,091,322, and she was ordered to pay £778,550 towards the remittance of that amount within six months.  If she fails to do so she will be liable to serve an additional three years imprisonment on top of the sentence that she is already serving.