Corporate crime team called in to advise accused Pakistan players

Addleshaw Goddard has scored a high-profile role advising on the cricket corruption scandal that has seen three Pakistan cricketers provisionally suspended from the sport interviewed by the police.

Addleshaws' corporate crime team has been drafted in by the Pakistan Cricket Board to represent Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif (pictured) and Salman Butt in the fraud investigation being conducted by the Metropolitan Police's Serious Crime Directorate.

The case centres on allegations, published in the News of the World, accusing the players of accepting bribes to bowl no-balls at pre-arranged points in a test match against England last month. The trio maintain that they are innocent of any alleged wrongdoing.

Addleshaws corporate crime head Elizabeth Robertson is representing the players, who returned to their home country last week (10 September). They have each given an undertaking to return to the UK if required to do so to co-operate fully with the police.

Robertson said: "We are working closely with the Pakistan Cricket Board to uphold the rights of the players in question to ensure they receive a fair and proper hearing amid the media storm."

The appointment is the latest in a string of successes for Addleshaws' corporate crime team, which was launched in 2007 with the hire of Robertson from Peters & Peters.
Robertson's practice covers the full range of business crime, commercial fraud, investigations and enforcement action by the Financial Services Authority.