Southport-based Seventy Ninth Group
Enters Into Administration

On 28^th February 2025, the City of London police first appealed for people who had been contacted by representatives of the 79th Group to come forward. This followed the arrest of four people and the seizure of large quantities of cash and luxury items.

The police investigation is ongoing, under the name Operation Mold. A dedicated webpage has been set up on the Major Incident Public Portal where investors can submit their contact details and responses to questions, including:

• Have you made a fraud report to Action Fraud in relation to your investment with the 79th Group?
• Do you believe you have been the victim of fraud in respect of the 79th Group?
• When and how were you first contacted about the 79th Group?
• Were you contacted by a third-party individual in relation to investing into the 79th Group?
• At the time you were contacted, were you looking to make any type of investment?
• Did you make an investment? If yes, what did you invest in?
• In total how much money did you invest with the 79th Group?
• If you received money back from the 79th Group, how much did you receive back in total?
• How much money do you still believe is outstanding?

The questionnaire also asks about paperwork and other evidence of any investments, and if the investor would be prepared to provide the police with a witness statement and attend Court to give evidence.

1. Report the fraud: If you are an investor in loan notes or another investment with the Seventy Ninth Group or their associated businesses, you should contact Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime centre, and the City of London Police. The police investigation is active and will take some time to conclude.
2. Seek legal advice: Get in touch with our experienced investment fraud team. We will be able to review your case and explore potential ways to recover your money – including whether you may be eligible to make a ‘no win, no fee’ refund claim. We will also keep you informed regarding the police investigation, the company administration process, and where appropriate, the timescales for trying to get your money back.
3. Be wary of ‘recovery scams’: Wherever there are people seeking compensation, there are scammers, so be very wary of unsolicited, cold calls, where you are asked to pay upfront to recover compensation. Scammers can also target victims through social media advertising and messaging apps.

Commenting on the most recent developments, Sarah Spruce, Legal Director at TLW Solicitors, said:

“It is not surprising that the 79^th Group companies have entered administration. The company issued a statement in March 2025 highlighting how the police investigation was ‘extremely damaging’ to their reputation and that the business was at ‘significant financial risk’.

Unfortunately, the investigations and legal processes now underway will take some time to resolve and investors will not have access to their funds. We will be keeping a very close eye on the developments in this case and its impact on investors.

In the meantime, I would encourage anyone who has invested with 79^th Group or any of their associated businesses to get in touch with our specialist team. You are not alone, and help is available – we can explore your options, including whether you may be eligible to make a ‘no-win, no-fee’ claim.”

Investing in loan notes is not without risk, and they are generally not suitable for everyday investors. Even if you believed the investment was genuine and were given financial advice, you could still be the victim of Authorised Push Payment Fraud (APP Fraud).

Many victims of financial fraud have no idea they are being scammed at the point they transfer money from their bank accounts. It is not until afterwards, when promised rates of return don’t materialise, or some other major event occurs, that causes concern. This could be intervention from the police, insolvency, or involvement of the Financial Conduct Authority.

At TLW Solicitors, we specialise in consumer claims and financial mis-selling. Our dedicated APP Fraud claims team has many years of experience in dealing with refunds from banks, financial institutions, and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).