FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Senior HMRC Solicitor John Wray Implicated in 'Gross Negligence' Scandal, Starling Bank Accused of Collusion in Unlawful Fund Freeze
LONDON, UK – 26 June 2025 – Financial Fraudster News Investigations, through privileged access to unfolding court documents, can today deliver a damning exposé: Senior HMRC solicitor and team manager, John Wray, has been thrust to the very heart of a shocking negligence scandal. Mr. Wray, along with alleged corrupt HMRC Officer Lucy Craig, is accused of orchestrating and furthering a blatant fraud on Suffolk Magistrates' Court, making false claims that Angelica Kinder (name withheld for legal purposes) was engaged in money laundering.
This explosive revelation upends an 18-month, taxpayer-funded HMRC investigation, now definitively exposed as being based on gross negligence and deliberate falsehoods perpetuated by Mr. Wray and Ms. Craig, who stand accused of "doubling down with their lies." Their actions have plunged Starling Bank Ltd into a crisis, with the challenger bank now facing accusations of working "hand in glove" with HMRC in a "cooperation overkill" to unlawfully withhold Ms. Kinder's legitimate funds.
The Fraud on the Court and the Whitewash Attempt
At the core of this unfolding scandal is the £600,827.92 belonging to Angelica Kinder, which has been frozen since 9 February 2024 under a highly contentious Account Freezing Order (AFO). HMRC Officer Lucy Craig obtained this AFO by allegedly falsely stating to Suffolk Magistrates' Court that Ms. Kinder was money laundering. Crucially, as detailed in Ms. Kinder's witness statements and robust legal correspondence seen by FFN, Ms. Craig and now, by extension, Senior Solicitor John Wray, failed to disclose critical due diligence that would have immediately proven the lawful origin of these funds.
The money, Ms. Kinder has repeatedly confirmed, derived from a legitimate VAT return of £993,749.00 obtained by Nathan Paralegals and Company LLP (NPC). This VAT refund was not only lawful but had been subjected to a "rigorous and thorough compliance check" by HMRC Officer Veronica Benjamin in October 2021, with senior HMRC approval. The alleged deliberate non-disclosure of HMRC's own prior verification by Ms. Craig and Mr. Wray to the Magistrates' Court constitutes a profound "fraud on the court."
NPC, the source of these funds, is a legitimate international litigation funder with its principal office in the Cayman Islands. Its board, in September 2021, formally permitted all UK funds, including this VAT refund, to be used for litigation funding or investment. Furthermore, the ultimate parent of NPC's successor entity (Distressed Debt Xchange Group LLP) is part of a larger private company which recently saw a seven percent stake acquired for over £1.4 billion, underscoring the absolute legitimacy and scale of its operations.
Starling Bank: Caught Disobeying the Law?
Starling Bank, the institution that initially contacted HMRC regarding Ms. Kinder's funds, is now facing intense scrutiny. Despite the AFO having definitively expired on 5 June 2025, Starling Bank has stubbornly refused to release Ms. Kinder's funds. The bank admitted to FFN that it sought "legal advice" from Lucy Craig and John Wray – the very HMRC officials implicated in the alleged fraudulent AFO investigation.
This admission points to a disturbing level of collusion, with Starling Bank seemingly acting as an "organ of a state entity" desperately trying to cover up what is being described as "one of the most reckless investigations carried out by two HMRC employees who have caused immeasurable pain to Ms. Kinder and huge financial loss." Starling Bank's board is now effectively accused of "disobeying the law" by relying on the mere opinion of Ms. Craig and Mr. Wray, rather than a valid court order, to withhold Ms. Kinder's legitimate assets.
Judicial Hammer Falls: Mr. Justice Calver Demands Answers
The judicial hammer has now fallen on Starling Bank. Ms. Kinder, in her relentless pursuit of justice, filed an urgent Injunction Application to compel the release of her legitimate funds. High Court Judge Mr. Justice Calver has now reviewed the application and issued a critical directive on 25 June 2025:
"(1) The Defendant [Starling Bank] must be served with this application and the grounds for injunctive relief."
"(2) The Account Freezing Order itself and any relevant correspondence from the defendant [Starling Bank] relating to that Order must be lodged by the Claimant [Starling Bank, in the context of the AFO application] on CE File or otherwise be provided to the court forthwith."
"(3) The defendant bank must state as a matter of urgency and in any event no later than 1pm on Monday 30 June 2025 whether it opposes this application or not and if it does why it does."
This order from Mr. Justice Calver is a direct and unequivocal demand for Starling Bank to produce evidence of a valid AFO that it relies on to withhold Ms. Kinder's money. It underscores the court's concern regarding the bank's current position and its failure to provide lawful justification.
The deadline is now set: Starling Bank has until 1pm on Monday, 30 June 2025, to comply with Mr. Justice Calver's order. Failure to do so will likely result in severe consequences, including potential further adverse orders and intensified legal action for the unlawful withholding of funds.
Financial Fraudster News will continue its tenacious reporting on this case, exposing every layer of alleged corruption and ensuring accountability for those who seek to undermine the integrity of the UK's financial and legal systems.
For further inquiries, contact:
Financial Fraudster News Investigations
Now on X: @therealfinancialfraudsternews or @the_real_FFN
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