Case Studies — Asset Recovery — Groome International

Corporate — Gulf region Corporate jets recovered for a Qatari fund
Insolvency — UK & UAE Director and asset tracing into the UAE
Asset finance — Estonia £750,000 of forestry equipment recovered in Estonia
Asset finance — Baltic States £2 million of forestry equipment located and recovered
Banking & asset finance — UK Commercial fleet fraud: over £1 million in vehicles seized
Asset finance — UK, Ireland & West Africa £1.4 million of plant and machinery traced to West Africa
Asset finance — Middle East Fairground rides repossessed in Saudi Arabia
Legal — UK Social media identification and process serving

Corporate — Gulf region

Corporate jets recovered for a Qatari fund

Recovering high-value aviation assets across international jurisdictions following counterparty default.

A Qatari fund engaged Groome International to locate and recover corporate jets following default by the counterparty. The assets had been moved across jurisdictions and the instructing client required co-ordinated action across multiple locations.

Groome International established the whereabouts of the aircraft and co-ordinated recovery through established international contacts. The assets were recovered and returned to the instructing fund.

Outcome

Corporate jets located and recovered. Assets returned to the instructing fund.

Insolvency — UK & UAE

Director and asset tracing into the UAE

Tracing the directors and assets of an insolvent UK multinational whose principals had relocated to the UAE.

A UK insolvency practitioner instructed Groome International to locate the directors and assets of an insolvent multinational company. The principals had relocated to the UAE, and the assets had been dispersed across multiple jurisdictions.

Database and field-based enquiries were conducted across the UK, Europe, and the UAE. Comprehensive reports were produced documenting the whereabouts of the individuals and the position of assets.

The reports enabled the insolvency practitioner to pursue legal proceedings and support creditor recovery.

Outcome

Directors located. Asset positions confirmed across jurisdictions. Legal proceedings supported.

Asset finance — Estonia

£750,000 of forestry equipment recovered in Estonia

Locating and realising the value of Ergo forestry equipment moved to Estonia following borrower default.

A UK lender instructed Groome International to locate and recover over £750,000 of Ergo forestry equipment following the borrower's default. The equipment had been moved to Estonia without the lender's consent.

Groome International traced the equipment to its location in Estonia. Rather than arrange transportation back to the UK — a costly and logistically complex undertaking — a buyer was identified in Stockholm. The equipment was sold in situ, with proceeds passed directly to the instructing lender.

Outcome

Full recovery value realised. Equipment sold in situ in Estonia to a buyer in Stockholm.

Asset finance — Baltic States

£2 million of forestry equipment located and recovered

Co-ordinating the location and seizure of £2 million of financed equipment across the Baltic States.

A UK asset finance lender instructed Groome International to locate and recover £2 million of forestry equipment following the borrower's default. The assets had been moved to the Baltic States.

Groome International traced the equipment, co-ordinated its seizure, and managed the full recovery process on behalf of the instructing lender.

Outcome

£2 million of assets recovered for the instructing lender.

Banking & asset finance — UK

Commercial fleet fraud: over £1 million in vehicles seized

Investigating organised criminal activity in the UK prestige car rental market, with law enforcement and Government briefings.

A UK banking institution financed vehicles operated by prestige car rental firms in London, Bradford, and Manchester. Groome International was instructed to investigate following irregularities in the borrower's conduct.

The investigation revealed that the firms were linked to an organised criminal network. Evidence was gathered through field investigation and database enquiry, and presented to the Metropolitan Police Vehicle Fraud Unit and SOCA. UK Government departments were subsequently briefed as a direct result of the findings.

Assets valued at over £1 million were identified and seized. The investigation also contributed to the broader dismantling of the network.

Outcome

Assets exceeding £1 million seized. Criminal network identified. UK Government departments briefed.

Asset finance — UK, Ireland & West Africa

£1.4 million of plant and machinery traced to West Africa

Locating yellow plant and machinery exported to West Africa without the lender's consent, and supporting successful legal recovery.

A lender in the UK and Republic of Ireland financed the acquisition of £1.4 million of yellow plant and machinery. The borrower subsequently exported the equipment to West Africa without consent.

Groome International traced the assets and provided sufficient intelligence and documentation for the instructing lender to pursue a successful legal case. The matter resulted in a favourable judgment for the client.

Outcome

Assets located. Successful legal proceedings brought. Lender's position protected.

Asset finance — Middle East

Fairground rides repossessed in Saudi Arabia

Locating and repossessing a number of financed fairground rides relocated to Saudi Arabia.

A UK lender instructed Groome International to locate and repossess a number of fairground rides financed under an asset finance agreement. The rides had been relocated to Saudi Arabia following default.

Groome International established the location of the assets in Saudi Arabia and co-ordinated repossession through established contacts in the region.

Outcome

Fairground rides located and repossessed in Saudi Arabia.

Legal — UK

Social media identification and process serving

Identifying and serving court documents on a subject known only through a social media pseudonym.

A law firm acting for an international finance company instructed Groome International to serve court documents on an individual known publicly only through a social media pseudonym, responsible for sustained harassment of the firm's client.

Groome International conducted the necessary investigations to establish the individual's true identity, current address, and details suitable for service. Documents were successfully served.

Outcome

Individual identified, located, and served with court documents.

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