The eighth Tackling Economic Crime Awards (TECAs), proudly sponsored by Altia, returned to the Royal Lancaster London on 4th November 2025, bringing together over three hundred leading professionals from across the financial crime sector. The prestigious evening honoured the exceptional achievements of individuals and organisations committed to combating economic crime, with a celebratory dinner and awards ceremony hosted by Ian Dyson CBE QPM DL, former Commissioner of the City of London Police.
Building on the legacy of previous years, the TECAs once again showcased the sector’s innovation, resilience, and dedication. Professor Martin Gill, founder of the TECAs, reflected on the event’s continued impact: “The calibre of entries this year highlights the remarkable progress being made in the fight against economic crime. These awards shine a light on those driving change and setting new standards of excellence. What stood out was not just the technical skill or strategic innovation, but the unwavering commitment to integrity and justice across the board. From grassroots initiatives to large-scale investigations, the breadth of work represented here is a testament to the sector’s resilience and its evolving ability to adapt to increasingly complex threats. The TECAs continue to be a vital platform for recognising those who go above and beyond to protect our financial systems and uphold public trust.”
2025 Winners & Summaries:
Outstanding Manager or Director
DCI Lee Townley – West Yorkshire Police
Lee Townley is a visionary leader who transformed the Economic Crime Unit into a nationally recognised team. He improved crime outcomes, led pioneering fraud initiatives, and supported vulnerable victims. His innovative projects, including children’s e-books and a cybercrime library, reflect strategic vision and emotional intelligence. Judges praised his people management skills and impactful efforts in enhancing teamwork and organisational reach.
Outstanding Team
Operation DESTABILISE Case Team – NCA
Operation DESTABILISE, the NCA’s largest money-laundering investigation, dismantled two Russian-speaking networks laundering billions annually. Through international collaboration and innovative strategy, 84 arrests were made, £20 million seized, and nine sanctions delivered. The team’s pioneering use of data science and cross-border partnerships set a new standard in economic crime fighting, earning praise for their exceptional teamwork and strategic disruption.
Outstanding Training Initiative
The CFCD Learning Academy – Jane Ward & Julie Wiggins, DWP
The CFCD Learning Academy revolutionised fraud training through immersive learning, mentorship, and live simulations. Designed by experts, it boosted productivity by 37% and accuracy by 21%, producing 365 confident graduates. Cross-departmental collaboration ensured sustainability, while a 94.5% understanding rate highlighted its impact. The programme fostered continuous learning, expanded across fraud areas, and earned praise for its depth, structure, and empowerment.
Outstanding New Product, Software or Technology
Clearspeed – Zurich Insurance
Zurich tackled a 238% surge in pothole-related insurance fraud by deploying voice validation technology in partnership with Clearspeed and Allied Universal. This innovation enabled rapid risk assessment, reduced fraud, and protected £40 million in public funds. The approach addressed rising claims linked to extreme weather and organised crime, earning praise for its data-driven strategy, operational integrity, and measurable impact.
Outstanding Investigator
Mandy Flood – Vale of Glamorgan Council
Mandy Flood led a complex investigation into an organised crime group supplying illicit tobacco and laundering profits across South Wales. As the sole Financial Investigator and trial witness, she secured convictions for 11 defendants, resulting in 38.5 years of sentences. Her persistence and skill in a challenging 13-week trial earned strong praise for outstanding performance and investigative excellence.
Outstanding Partnership
Operation MACHINIZE – NECC, NPCC, HMRC, HOIE and Trading Standards
Operation MACHINIZE was a national crackdown on criminals laundering illicit cash through high-street businesses. Led by the NECC, with multi-agency support and Home Office funding, it delivered hundreds of disruptions and raised national awareness, including BBC coverage. This first-of-its-kind initiative showcased powerful collaboration, strategic impact, and strong success metrics, earning praise for targeting organised crime where it hurts most.
Outstanding Public Sector/Law Enforcement Initiative
Operation CALLBACK – Metropolitan Police Service Emerging Threats Team
Operation CALLBACK set a national benchmark in tackling courier fraud through a robust multi-agency, intelligence-led approach. With strong safeguarding, daily coordination, and strategic partnerships, it disrupted serious organised crime and reduced offending. Its triage model and methodology were adopted as best practice, influencing policing beyond London. The initiative restored public trust by treating fraud as a public protection issue.
Outstanding Private/Third Sector Initiative
Project Trojan – Stop Scams UK
Led by Stop Scams UK, Project Trojan is a world-first collaboration between banking, telecoms, and technology sectors, using AI and shared intelligence to help law enforcement disrupt scams in real time. In its prototype stage, Trojan has identified hundreds of accounts – often ahead of banks’ systems – preventing losses and protecting consumers nationwide.
Outstanding Young Professional sponsored by Counter Fraud Professional Awards Board
Mollie Dale – Regional Economic Crime Unit, West Mercia Police
At just 27, Mollie is a respected and inspirational figure in tackling economic crime. Known for her wisdom, courage, and innovative thinking, she was a trusted advisor before joining the regional unit. Her dedication and can-do attitude have made a lasting impact, inspiring professional, especially women, with her belief that hard work and self-belief can achieve anything.
Outstanding Female Economic Crime Professional
Elizabeth Collery – Serious Fraud Office
Elizabeth Collery is a distinguished Serious Fraud Office prosecutor who led landmark cases, including the £103 million Amec Foster Wheeler settlement and the Glencore resolution. A global mentor and educator, she shares financial crime expertise internationally. Known for pioneering legal strategies and inspiring leadership, she balances a demanding caseload while nurturing her team, exemplifying excellence in economic crime prosecution.
Outstanding Individual Contribution to Tackling Economic Crime
Dave Campbell – HMRC
Dave Campbell’s DELTA approach – Digital Exploitation & Live Time Analysis – has revolutionised HMRC’s fight against organised crime. By rapidly fusing data sources, DELTA enabled 45 interdictions, £3.2 million in seizures, and 25 charges across three major cases. It dismantled illicit tobacco factories in Spain and Germany, attributed 130 criminal vehicles, and delivered lasting operational impact, redefining cross-agency disruption tactics and transforming HMRC’s investigative capabilities.
Outstanding Overseas Initiative
Malaysia’s National Fraud Portal – FNA
FNA, a London analytics firm, helped design Malaysia’s National Fraud Portal, using its Money Trails technology to trace fraudulent funds in minutes. Partnering with Bank Negara Malaysia and PayNet, the platform boosts recovery rates and streamlines fraud investigations. This international collaboration sets a global precedent for scalable, real-time fraud prevention with measurable impact and enhanced financial system security.
Lifetime Achievement
David Jagger
David began his career with Greater Manchester Police in 1979, becoming a Financial Investigator in 1997. After retiring from policing, he joined DBIS (now The Insolvency Service) as a Confiscator, later moving to the Proceeds of Crime Centre to train Financial Investigators nationally. Over four decades, David has delivered hundreds of training courses, inspiring thousands of practitioners and strengthening UK law enforcement’s asset denial capabilities. Judges praised his outstanding contribution, calling him the epitome of a career professional with a legacy few will match. His commitment to counter fraud, proactive collaboration, and thought leadership perfectly embody the spirit of economic crime fighting. David’s work built national and international capability and as he approaches retirement, is leaving behind a generation of highly skilled investigators and a lasting impact on the sector.
The event organisers would like to thank all those who have helped to make the seventh TECAs event such a success including: all the supporting associations and judges; sponsors: Altia (headline sponsor); Asset Reality (trophies and certificates); Counter Fraud Professional Awards Board, The Security Event & International Security Expo (award categories).