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Recover Your Losses from Imperial Investment Fund

The Imperial Investment Fund was an unauthorised £1.3 million Ponzi scheme run by Daniel Pugh, who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for fraud in October 2025. If you transferred funds from a UK bank account, a refund claim may be possible — even if your bank has already refused.

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Why Choose Compensation Adviser?

Recovering funds lost to a sophisticated Ponzi scheme like the Imperial Investment Fund requires specialist knowledge. Our team understands the complex mechanisms of investment fraud and the regulatory frameworks designed to protect consumers. We navigate the claims process on your behalf, challenging bank rejections and building evidence-based cases to present to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

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We review your Imperial Investment Fund case completely free of charge.

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We operate on a strict no-win, no-fee basis. You’ll only pay our 15%+VAT success fee if your claim is successful. Cancellation fees may apply (see full fee details below).

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What Was the Imperial Investment Fund?

The Imperial Investment Fund (IIF), also known as Imperial Investments.Fund, was an unauthorised investment scheme orchestrated by Daniel Pugh between March 2019 and August 2020. Operating from his bedroom in Devon, Pugh heavily promoted the scheme on Facebook, describing it as an “investment club” to attract ordinary investors.

The scheme successfully lured 238 investors, ultimately defrauding them of approximately £1.3 million. Despite having no authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the fund promised impossibly high returns, claiming investors could earn 1.4% a day, 7% a week, or up to 350% a year.

In August 2020, the FCA issued a formal warning about the firm, confirming it was targeting UK consumers without the necessary regulatory permissions. Following a lengthy investigation and prosecution by the FCA, Daniel Pugh was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud. In October 2025, at Southwark Crown Court, he was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison and disqualified from being a company director for eight years.

How the Imperial Investment Fund Scheme Worked

The Imperial Investment Fund operated as a classic Ponzi scheme. While Pugh duped investors into believing he was successfully trading and that their money was safe, no legitimate investment activity was actually taking place.

Instead, the scheme relied entirely on a constant influx of new money. The “returns” paid to early investors were funded directly by the deposits of later victims. This structure is inherently unsustainable and inevitably collapses when the flow of new investors slows down.

Pugh personally extracted £96,000 from the scheme, which he used to fund a lavish lifestyle, including designer clothing, expensive restaurants, and significant cash withdrawals. Even when he knew the scheme was collapsing, he continued to aggressively recruit new investors through social media advertising.

Signs You May Have Been Misled by Imperial Investment Fund

The Imperial Investment Fund displayed several classic hallmarks of an investment scam. If you experienced any of the following, you may have grounds for a claim:

You were promised unrealistic returns of up to 350% per year.

You discovered the opportunity through Facebook advertisements.

The scheme was presented informally as an 'investment club'.

You were not informed that the firm lacked FCA authorisation.

The exact mechanism of how the returns were generated was never clearly explained.

You were pressured to invest quickly before missing out on the opportunity.

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What to Do If You Lost Money to Imperial Investment Fund

1. Stop All Payments

Do not send any more money to the Imperial Investment Fund or anyone claiming they can recover your funds for an upfront fee.

2. Contact Your Bank

Notify the bank from which you transferred the funds immediately. Explain that you have been the victim of a Ponzi scheme.

3. Report to Action Fraud

File a report with Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.

4. Contact the FCA

If you have not already been contacted by the FCA regarding the Daniel Pugh prosecution, email their consumer contact team.

5. Gather Your Evidence

Collect all bank statements, Facebook messages, promotional materials, and correspondence relating to your investment.

6. Seek Professional Help

Contact Compensation Adviser for a free review of your case to explore your recovery options.

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Can I Recover Money Lost to Imperial Investment Fund?

Because the Imperial Investment Fund was an unauthorised firm, victims do not have direct access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) for this specific investment. However, there are alternative avenues for recovery.

If you transferred funds from a UK bank account to another UK bank account, you may be able to claim a refund under Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud protections. For payments made after 28 May 2019, your bank may be liable under the voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model Code (CRM Code). For payments made after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules apply.

If your bank refuses to refund your losses, the complaint can be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for an independent review.

Why Choose Compensation Adviser for Your Imperial Investment Fund Claim?

Specialist Expertise: We understand the specific details of the Daniel Pugh prosecution and how the Imperial Investment Fund operated.
Regulatory Knowledge: We are well-versed in the CRM Code, APP fraud rules, and FOS guidelines.
Evidence-Based Claims: We build robust cases based on established facts, regulatory warnings, and banking responsibilities.
No-Win, No-Fee: We only charge a fee if we successfully recover your money.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Imperial Investment Fund?

The Imperial Investment Fund was a £1.3 million Ponzi scheme operated by Daniel Pugh between 2019 and 2020. It targeted investors via Facebook ads, promising unrealistic returns, but was ultimately an unauthorised fraud.

Has anyone been prosecuted for the Imperial Investment Fund scam?

Yes. Following an FCA investigation, Daniel Pugh was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud. In October 2025, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison at Southwark Crown Court.

Can I claim through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)?

No. Because Imperial Investment Fund was not authorised by the FCA, direct claims cannot be made to the FSCS. However, recovery may still be possible through your bank under APP fraud rules.

My bank already refused a refund. Can I still claim?

Yes. If your bank has rejected your claim, it can be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). We frequently challenge bank rejections and have successfully recovered funds for clients in similar situations.

How long do I have to make a claim?

Generally, you have six years from the date of the transaction to make a complaint to your bank. However, it is always advisable to start the process as soon as possible.

What are your fees?

We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis. If your claim is successful, we charge a fee of 15% + VAT of the total compensation awarded. If we do not recover any money for you, there is no fee to pay.

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Important Information

You are not required to use our services to pursue your claim. You can also seek further advice or shop around subject to any time limits within which a claim must be made.

It is possible for you to present the claim for free, either to the bank, business or person against whom you wish to complain or to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, whichever is applicable to your claim.