Court orders €105m repayment for fraud

RWK Goodman has successfully secured a judgement of over €105 million (£90.55 million) from two defendants in a fraud claim at London’s Commercial Court. The firm represented the claimant in a recovery effort for €25 million that was loaned to Yasmin Al Sahoud Perez and Karim Ouajjou through nine loans between 2020 and 2021. The funds were initially intended for fulfilling contracts related to Personal Protective Equipment with the Spanish Government. Unfortunately, the loans were largely unpaid, with only the first and a minor portion of the ninth loan being repaid. Following this, the court granted Worldwide Freezing Orders in March 2022, leading to proceedings aimed at recovering the lost funds.

The situation escalated into a contempt of court claim in 2024, as Al Sahoud Perez and Ouajjou acknowledged their breach of the freezing orders, resulting in each receiving a nine-month custodial sentence and an order to pay legal costs. However, the legal costs went unpaid, prompting further court orders stipulating that unless these were settled, the defendants’ defence would be struck out without additional orders. An attempt to extend the repayment deadline was dismissed in May 2025, and Robin Knowles J confirmed that the defence would indeed be struck out, with permission for an appeal being denied.

In a pivotal ruling, the High Court ordered the repayments of the principal loan amount along with accrued interest over the four years of litigation, along with a reissue of post-judgment worldwide freezing orders. Dan Dodman, partner and head of RWK Goodman’s Dispute Resolution practice, highlighted the importance of complying with court orders by saying “This result is a key example of the absolute importance of complying with court orders and the consequences which follow non-compliance." He reflected on the complexities and duration of the case, noting that “This litigation has been a long, hard-fought battle over three and a half years, but highlights the expertise and perseverance within our civil fraud team.”

The RWK Goodman team included Dan Dodman, Ellie Spencer, Natalie May-Beshir, Cydney-Jane Ault, and Tom Nugent, supported by 4 Pump Court, with Mr Stephen Cogley KC acting as the leading counsel for the claimant in the High Court.