LEXLAW Solicitors & Barristers
Unlawful means conspiracy is a civil tort where two or more individuals collude to harm another using illegal methods. Victims of such misconduct may find this tort useful in seeking compensation for acts that might not be actionable independently. By understanding unlawful means conspiracy, individuals can assess their legal options and protect their rights against potential wrongdoing.
The FCA has stated it will not rush the delayed report on RBS’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG) due to the complexity and importance of the investigation. The report, highly awaited following allegations of misconduct by GRG, aims to thoroughly assess RBS’s treatment of SMEs and the bank’s recovery practices.
SMEs who claim they were mistreated by Royal Bank of Scotland’s turnaround division, GRG, await to see if the City regulator will set up an FCA-agreed GRG compensation scheme.
The High Court criticised Dentons and RBS for a “cavalier” attitude toward disclosure in litigation, specifically failing to comply with a court order to produce around 25 million relevant documents related to LIBOR misconduct allegations. Proper disclosure is vital to ensure fairness in litigation, but RBS has a history of inadequate disclosure, including being found to have deliberately withheld documents in previous cases. This pattern raises serious concerns about RBS’s litigation culture and compliance with court rules.
Reports surface that Mark Spurin will take charge of the RBS GRG Review compensation scheme for ‘impacted SME’ victims.
The FCA is set to recommend a compensation scheme for businesses harmed by RBS’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG), according to an upcoming report. While the GRG Review may be quicker than litigation, it is criticised for being unfair and limiting compensation. Victims are advised to consider parallel litigation, which is designed to ensure a fair outcome. GRG, a troubled business support unit within RBS, controlled assets of 16,000 SMEs before being disbanded in 2014 following misfeasance allegations.
Westgate Healthcare settled a legal dispute with RBS for £10m, involving alleged misrepresentation and breach of contract regarding an interest rate swap. Deemed too sophisticated for FCA’s compensation scheme, Westgate’s claim, initiated in April 2014, led to a settlement with RBS, who imposed confidentiality and accepted no liability.
The Royal Bank of Scotland’s “Bad Bank” known as Capital Resolution (RCR) manages GRG, IRHP, and West Register portfolios involving distressed SMEs and mis-sold interest rate hedging products. RCR’s role is to isolate risky and non-performing assets, including businesses pushed into distress by GRG to facilitate asset acquisition at discounted rates. The unit has been criticised for poor treatment of SMEs, lack of transparency, and aggressive recovery tactics.
RBS Clifford Chance report on swaps mis-selling is a “whitewash” attempt to downplay the bank’s wrongdoing and avoid accountability. The report is lacks independence and fails to address the full scale of RBS mis-selling. It has fueled calls for stronger action into bank misconduct.
A former RBS GRG Bank Manager at revealed they deliberately destroyed viable businesses to save the bank during the credit crisis. GRG charged excessive fees, intercepted payments, and stripped firms of assets, which were then sold through another RBS unit, West Register. The investigation featured a couple forced into bankruptcy by unjust fees, highlighting GRG’s hostile tactics.