UK Fraud Review Calls for Judge Training on Crypto Laundering, AI Scams
A UK fraud review says judges and magistrates need better training for cases involving AI-enabled fraud and cryptocurrency laundering. It recommends the Judicial College assess whether current training should be updated or replaced with a dedicated fraud module, and whether training should be mandatory for judges handling complex fraud. The review says the Fraud Act 2006 is adequate, but courts are not well prepared for cases using accessible AI tools, cross-border transfers, and crypto. Complex fraud work is concentrated in a few major-city courts, leaving many regional courts short of experience and infrastructure. Fraud is rising sharply and may soon account for half of all crime in England and Wales, with 4.1 million offences estimated for the year to June 2025. More than half of investment scams now involve crypto, and 58% of people surveyed reported AI-enabled financial fraud. Yet only 13% of fraud outcomes end in a charge or summons. The report cites the Qian Zhimin case as an example of large-scale crypto laundering after fraud.
