By Ashley Young.
A former partner at the London office of US giant Akin Gump has been struck off the roll of solicitors after admitting to making improper expenses claims amounting to the tune of £24k.
Igor Krivoshekov admitted claiming personal spending on meals and taxis as business expenses and has agreed to re-imburse his former firm almost £25,000.
Krivoshekov, a cross-border transactions specialist, moved from Dentons to Akin Gump in December 2016 but left under a cloud in June 2018
Krivoshekov was charged by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with submitting expenses claims and taxi receipts worth an estimated £1,000 between December 2016 and June 2018. He had control over his expenses and often submitted receipts to his assistant with handwritten notes about their business engagements.
When the firm began an investigation into his expense submissions, the crook solicitor resigned from the partnership shortly after.
EXTENSIVE REVIEW
The tribunal judgment states that Krivoshekov, who was admitted in England and Wales in 2012 after practising in Illinois since 1997, was subject to a more extensive review of all expenses after his departure from the firm.
During his 18 months he had claimed for almost £46,000, with Akin Gump requesting that he reimburse it £24,650. Some of his financial claims included three dinners, the most expensive worth £400, purportedly with a client but where the client was not in fact present.
He re-imbursed £24,650 was reimbursed to the firm through a deduction from the capital otherwise due to him after resigning from partnership.
In mitigation, Krivoshekov cited health issues which manifested themselves in irrational behaviour. In hindsight, his illness impacted his judgement and contributed to his making poor decisions. Krivoshekov agreed to pay the SRA’s £3,000 costs.