James Stunt, the former son-in-law of Bernie Ecclestone, has been found not guilty of forgery but will face a retrial on money-laundering charges after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The 40-year-old, who was married to Petra Ecclestone, was one of eight defendants in what prosecutors described as the largest money-laundering trial in British criminal history.
The case centred on an alleged £266 million operation involving the Bradford gold dealer Fowler Oldfield between 2014 and 2016. Prosecutors claimed that criminal cash was deposited into the company's bank account and then used to purchase gold, which was shipped to Dubai to conceal its origins.
After a trial lasting nearly eight months at Leeds Cloth Hall court, the jury cleared four defendants of all charges on Wednesday. However, after six days of deliberation, they were unable to reach verdicts on the money-laundering charge against Stunt, Greg Frankel, 44, Haroon Rashid, 51, and Daniel Rawson, 45.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC discharged the jury, and prosecutor Nicholas Clarke KC confirmed that a retrial would take place for the four men. Paul Miller, Heidi Buckler, Alexander Tulloch, and Francesca Sota were found not guilty of money laundering, with Sota also cleared of forgery.
The defendants facing retrial are expected to appear before the same court on 27 January for a further hearing.
