Jonathan Richard Maurice Gerber

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Mr Gerber, an equity partner at WGS Solicitors, admitted two allegations which the Tribunal found proved. Between May 2018 and August 2020 he caused or allowed the firm's client account to be used to facilitate high-value art purchases for an existing high-net-worth client (Person A1) and connected offshore companies (Seychelles/Marshall Islands), with no underlying legal transaction - effectively providing a banking facility (receipts totalling c.$10.6m and €5m). He also materially contributed to the firm's anti-money laundering failures, including absent/late CDD, no source of funds/wealth verification, and no matter risk assessments. Invoices issued were later cancelled/refunded, so no financial benefit was retained. The First and Third Respondents resolved their matters by Agreed Outcomes. No express finding of dishonesty was made. Mr Gerber was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs.

Duties found breached:

• Act in the client's best interests
• AML and crime-prevention compliance
• No conflict between current clients
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Mitigating factors:

• No financial benefit retained by the firm or Mr Gerber (invoices cancelled and refunded)
• Self-reporting: the firm submitted three reports to the SRA
• Client was a long-standing existing client; Mr Gerber believed (mistakenly) there was leeway
• Firm introduced new AML procedures, policies and training in 2021
• Full admissions and cooperation; admissions properly made