BTMK welcomes the fact that Sean Callaghan has received a four-year custodial sentence.
Callaghan was involved with BTMK, and its predecessor firm, from 1996 until April 2019 (when he left the firm’s employment and subsequently joined another firm of solicitors, Palmers). BTMK was alerted in May 2020 to potential fraud issues by the new firm he had joined after leaving us. Within just a week of learning what Callaghan had done, BTMK obtained a worldwide freezing injunction over his domestic and foreign assets and his bank accounts.
BTMK undertook an immediate and intensive forensic investigation that went back to at least 2003, into a wide range of Callaghan’s clients. Over the course of an internal investigation lasting over twelve months BTMK curated extensive documentary material which we quickly passed onto both to regulators and the police.
Since 2020, BTMK has returned all monies taken by Callaghan to innocently affected clients relating to sums that Callaghan stole from their accounts. BTMK sued Callaghan and obtained prompt Judgments, and then secured an Order from the to force the sale of Callaghan’s frozen assets to fund the full compensation of victims, including interest owed and costs. Callaghan has subsequently declared himself bankrupt.
Sean Callaghan was a struck off as a solicitor in 2022 by the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal, following his admission of professional misconduct. BTMK co-operated extensively with the Solicitors’ Regulatory Authority to help them reach their decision. BTMK also worked extensively with Essex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring the criminal charges against Callaghan for both theft and fraud, which led to his eventual conviction and imprisonment.
Nitin Khandhia, Managing Director of BTMK, said: “These frauds took place over a near twenty-year period, and sometimes against vulnerable people who had the right to trust their solicitor, particularly given that Callaghan was himself a Deputy District Judge. Callaghan deceived his clients, his colleagues and his duty as an officer of the court and, later, his duty as a member of the judiciary. A significant custodial sentence is absolutely justified given the facts of the case and we fully support his imprisonment.”
