A row has erupted between the Serious Fraud Office and one of London’s leading law firms over figures said to show that the agency ignored tip-offs because of budget cuts.
The SFO accused Pinsent Masons yesterday of “deliberately” misinterpreting data showing that while the number of whistleblowing reports to the agency had risen last year by 324 to 2,832, only 16 new investigations had been opened.
A spokeswoman said: “As we have repeatedly pointed out to Pinsent Masons’ PR firm, not all frauds fall within the SFO’s very specific remit.
“If the information provided is not for us, we pass it on to other relevant law enforcement agencies and regulators. To suggest the SFO has not been able to investigate is deliberately to misinterpret this