“Enough Is Enough: Why Victims of QROPS Pension Scams Deserve Answers”

By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning

For nearly a decade, victims of a sprawling international pension fraud—centred around QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes)—have been fighting for justice. These scams, many linked to the disgraced adviser John Maurice Pye, have devastated lives, wiping out life savings under the watch of multiple regulators across the UK, Isle of Man, and Malta.

Paul Birch is one such victim. But he’s more than that—he’s a whistleblower whose persistence in exposing systemic failure is a beacon for others navigating the wreckage of financial crime.

Paul has repeatedly raised serious concerns with the FCA, SFO, HMRC, IoM FSA, and MFSA, supported by a mountain of documentation and evidence. His correspondence—meticulous, well-researched, and grounded in law—details:

• Commissions and hidden fees paid to advisers like Pye via insurers in the Isle of Man.
• The complicity of QROPS trustees and financial institutions who failed to conduct due diligence.
• The use of complex corporate structures (e.g., Panamanian shell companies) to obscure transactions.
• Cases, such as one upheld by Judge Mintoff in Malta, that establish precedent for restitution—yet victims in the UK are still ignored.

Despite convictions secured by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in the AXIOM fund case (linked to these scams), many victims still face a wall of silence from those charged with protecting them. This is not just financial mis-selling—it’s fraud, money laundering, and regulatory dereliction on a massive scale.

Why does this matter now?

Because justice delayed is justice denied. And because there are more Paul Birches out there—people who trusted a system that ultimately failed them.

At the Academy of Life Planning, we stand with victims. We believe in transparency, accountability, and the right to a financial life free from exploitation. We call on:

• The FCA to explain why, despite clear jurisdiction under English law, it has not acted decisively.
• The SFO to fully exercise its Section 2 powers under the Criminal Justice Act and compel full disclosure from implicated insurers and banks.
• Parliamentarians and regulators to listen—not stonewall—the victims.

We echo Paul’s words and the march cry of April 2024: “Enough is enough.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by similar schemes, come forward. We are building a movement—and your voice matters.

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Exposing the QROPS Scandal: Victims Demand Justice and a Public Inquiry into Regulatory Failures

This video highlights the plight of victims of Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) scams, describing how the UK government and regulatory bodies have failed to protect them. Victims entrusted their pensions to advisors, trustees, and enablers who stole their life savings through undisclosed commissions and fees, causing immense emotional and financial devastation.

Despite assurances of protection from bodies like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the speaker, Mary Birch, claims the FCA protects scammers, not victims. Responsibility is shifted between the FCA, HMRC, and overseas regulators in places like Isle of Man and Malta, with no one accepting accountability.

The speaker describes an eight-year fight for justice led by her husband, Paul Birch, engaging MPs, lawyers, and numerous organizations—all to no effect.

She calls for a statutory public inquiry to expose why such scams go unpunished and to investigate the failings of the FCA, which she describes as “unfit for purpose.” The speaker warns that even today, many people are still being scammed under the inaction of those meant to protect the public and urges urgent action, declaring: “Enough is enough.”

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Your Money or Your Life

Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!

By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.