Operation Barbatus

Operation Barbatus was a Metropolitan Police investigation launched in 2007. It found that private investigators were hacking computers and corrupting police officers. Two serving Metropolitan Police detectives were imprisoned after attempting to unlawfully access the New York Stock Exchange.

There was only one attempt to prosecute a client of the firm, Active Investigation Services. Oil and banking heir Matthew Mellon was charged after hiring the company during divorce proceedings against his ex-wife Tamara Mellon. However, Mr Mellon was cleared by a jury who accepted he had no idea the investigators to whom he paid £12,000 were breaking the law.