A solicitor at a prominent libel law firm in the UK, Claire Gill, is facing prosecution by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for allegedly issuing improper threats of litigation. The SRA announced this decision, certified by a tribunal, which has deemed there is a case to answer based on allegations dating back to 26 April 2017. Although the allegations remain unproven, they will undergo a full hearing at an independent Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which has the authority to impose severe penalties, including unlimited fines or barring Gill from practising law.
Carter-Ruck, the firm at which Gill is a partner, is not being prosecuted; rather, the scrutiny is focused on Gill’s conduct. While details of the alleged threat and the client in question have not been disclosed, it appears to be linked to her representation of OneCoin, a cryptocurrency scheme later identified as a fraudulent operation involving its founder, Ruja Ignatova.
In a report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism earlier this year, correspondence from Carter-Ruck related to OneCoin was noted, specifically a letter sent to a victim, Jen McAdam, which accused her of publicly alleging that OneCoin was fraudulent. Gill confronted McAdam about her claims, expressing that her statements exceeded acceptable debate and could be damaging to her client’s reputation.
Carter-Ruck expressed discontent regarding the SRA’s decision, affirming their support for Gill during the proceedings. McAdam, however, stated that she could not comment further on the issue. This case has raised broader concerns about “strategic litigation against public participation” (SLAPP), where legal actions are perceived to be used to silence public discourse.
Ignatova, a key figure in this controversy, has been central to various media narratives, including the BBC podcast, “The Missing Cryptoqueen,” detailing the rise and fall of OneCoin and her subsequent disappearance in 2018. She remains a fugitive, wanted by the FBI for serious fraud and money laundering charges, with a reward set for information leading to her capture. Recent claims in Bulgarian media suggest the involvement of organised crime in her disappearance, alleging she may have been murdered due to becoming a liability within the criminal sphere.