A short story by Sylv AI Kri
Maxim Alexeev’s polished exterior could fool even the most seasoned sceptic. The suave property developer commanded a presence: tailored Savile Row suits, a faint Russian accent lending him an air of mystery, and an endless flow of real estate deals relating to London’s most exclusive properties, sufficient to draw in the city’s most ambitious lawyers and estate agents.
Nigel Carter, a rising star at LawCo LLP, was mesmerized from the start. As an associate solicitor in the Conveyancing Department, Nigel had an eye for lucrative opportunities—and Maxim represented exactly that. Their first meeting, held over espresso in Maxim’s glossy Mayfair office, had been a revelation. The numbers Maxim spoke of were astronomical, his aspirations for property deals boundless. Nigel’s imagination took flight. Partner at LawCo LLP—that shimmering title—finally seemed within reach.
Maxim’s company, Maximum Horizons Ltd, was new on the block, but Nigel found himself overlooking such trifles. Sure, its incorporation dated back less than a year. Sure, its deal history was…unclear. But Maxim had brought two deals to Nigel already, and his promise of more to come outshone any lingering unease. LawCo LLP’s Compliance Officer raised objections—the company’s sudden emergence seemed strange, as did its funding sources—but Nigel found reassurance in how some of the big law firms in London seemed to be handling AML matters. As long as you could show that you were spending a lot of money on compliance, ‘business focus’, Nigel reasoned, mattered more than individual decisions about who and who not to deal with.
Maxim’s deals were the stuff of dreams. Luxury penthouses in Knightsbridge, sprawling Georgian mansions in Belgravia, and sleek riverside flats overlooking the Thames—all passed through LawCo LLP’s books. And Nigel’s role in facilitating them earned the approving glances of the senior partners. Still, red flags fluttered—warnings Nigel chose to dismiss.
For instance, funds for one property purchase originated from a non-sanctioned Russian bank. LawCo LLP’s Compliance Officer, Charlotte Templeton, ever vigilant, flagged the transaction as high-risk. But Nigel brushed aside her concerns with barely a second thought. He found solace in Maxim’s knowledge, the allure of more deals, and those promising partnership prospects.
Even stranger were the sheer volume of Maxim’s transactions and his preference for switching law firms like a man trading ties. Nigel knew of at least three other firms Maxim had retained for concurrent deals. But Nigel interpreted this oddity as Maxim’s relentless pursuit of efficiency—if anything, the diversity of legal counsel seemed to signify just how serious Maxim was about his property empire – “horses for courses” and all of that.
It was a rainy morning in London when Nigel received the latest instructions from Maxim. Another high-value property purchase, this time funded by an overseas account. There was one detail that caught Nigel’s attention: Maxim was the director of seven different companies. Seven companies. But Nigel rationalized this, too. High-flying entrepreneurs often spread their ventures across multiple entities. It was the mark of a titan, wasn’t it?
Charlotte Templeton disagreed. During their tense meeting, she laid out her suspicions. “We need more due diligence,” she insisted. “YOU need more due diligence. His company is practically a ghost. There’s no clarity on its wealth sources. And these transactions are extraordinary—the volume, the pace, the lack of a coherent backstory. Nigel, you must see how this looks?”
Nigel nodded politely, noting silently that for some curious reason she seemed to be carrying a tape-measure and sporting a nuclear hazard badge instead of her staff ID. But he dismissed her concerns later that day. His mind drifted again to the big firms and to the apparently standard thought processes revealed in cases like SRA v Dentons. If the compliance team couldn’t match Nigel’s business focus, their warnings carried less weight—or so Nigel convinced himself. Maxim had become LawCo LLP’s golden goose. Why rock the boat?
Months passed and, gradually, Maxim grew more elusive. But the stream of instructions continued, each more extravagant than the last. Nigel believed he was the architect behind something extraordinary—a burgeoning property empire that would redefine London’s luxury market. But cracks began to form. Emails to Maxim went unanswered. Calls were redirected to voicemail. Rumours swirled. Charlotte stopped Nigel in the hallway, her expression grim. “There’s something seriously wrong here.”
Nigel shrugged off her warnings for the final time. He was poised to deliver another blockbuster property deal, and Maxim’s connections promised a future beyond his wildest ambitions. Maxim had become Nigel’s ticket to glory—a figure too good to scrutinize too closely.
The notice arrived on a crisp autumn morning. Nigel opened it slowly, the scent of coffee in the air doing nothing to calm his nerves. The letter detailed an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) issued against Maxim Alexeev. The properties were seized. The NCA suspected Maxim of laundering the proceeds from various cyber and crypto frauds through his dizzying web of companies and luxury property deals. Maximum Horizons Ltd was a shell, a sophisticated façade that Nigel had failed to investigate.
Worst of all, Maxim had vanished.
Nigel sat alone in his corner office, Charli Templeton’s warnings replaying in his mind like an echo from the abyss. Partner? Not anymore. His dreams had crumbled around him like the properties Maxim had so artfully juggled. Every email sent to Maxim, every instruction taken without hesitation, now seemed tainted. He thought of his hollow justification—”business focus”. It had all led to this.
As dusk settled over London, Nigel stared out at the city’s skyline. The glittering towers seemed distant, mocking. He felt not anger, nor sorrow, but a profound emptiness – and the beginnings of something slow and creeping at the very base of his gut. Was that…fear? He had ignored the red flags, brushed aside the doubts, and now found himself ensnared in the rubble of Maxim Alexeev’s schemes.
Outside, the rain began to fall.
©SYLV AI KRIN 2025
Well, okay. Leaving aside the questions of why the governance processes in the law firm in our little story are so hopeless, other questions remain:
- Are you, as a firm, determined and persistent enough about getting all the information you need when lucrative new business opportunities present themselves?
- How attuned are your ‘big hitters’ to the reputational risks attendant on high-value transactions with high-risk clients?
- Do your partners and solicitors even accept that law firms should have a legal duty to reject business that may be connected to financial crimes which may have taken place far away and long ago?
These are questions which, unfortunately, no digital onboarding platform, however smart (and we like to think ours is pretty smart). can really help you with. They go to the heart of who you are and what you believe in as a collective.
At Marker, we’re not just a software company. We’re a team of people who believe the AML regs serve a worthy purpose, and that that purpose is one which professional firms can come together to support. And we’d love to come to your firm and speak to you and your people about that, not just try and sell you some software.
To arrange a training session on the AML Regs – and to engage your staff in a wider discussion on the ethics of AML compliance, contact us here.