The Serious Fraud Office has obtained a restraining order on more than $100m of UK assets linked to alleged fraudster Sir Allen Stanford.
The funds, believed to be held by financial institutions in London, were frozen following a request from the US Department of Justice.
The move comes a day after Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison over a $65bn Ponzi scheme.
"These funds were allegedly acquired in connection with a suspected $7bn (£4.2bn) investment fraud scheme operated by Stanford," the SFO said.
The freezing order was granted on April 7.
It added that the Crown Prosecution Service and City of London police had also assisted US authorities with their inquiries.
SFO director Richard Alderman said: "I am delighted that the SFO has been able to secure a freezing order of this magnitude and within five hours of it being requested.
"I am determined that supporting our US counterparts in this way becomes a routine example of cross-border co-operation."
Meanwhile Stanford's lawyers in the US are hoping a federal judge will allow their client to be freed on bail while he awaits trial.
But prosecutors want US District Judge David Hittner to revoke Stanford's $500,000 bail and keep him in jail.
Stanford has been in custody since being indicted on June 18.
Send Article by Email
Send Article by IM
Blog This with Y! 360
Printable View
