The FCA has charged John Burford with operating an unauthorised investment business and misleading investors, allegedly generating over £1 million.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has brought criminal charges against John Burford, accusing him of running an unauthorised investment business and dishonestly misleading more than 100 investors—allegedly raising over £1 million between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023.

During this period, Mr Burford is alleged to have advised and managed investments without proper FCA authorisation. He was the sole director of Financial Trading Strategies Limited (FTS), which operated a website offering paid subscription services. These services included daily trade alerts and advice on trading opportunities, as well as investments in three so-called “Tramline” funds.

The FCA claims that Mr Burford repeatedly misrepresented both the value of the funds and the scale of trading losses, misleading investors about the actual performance of their investments.

Mr Burford is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 23 May 2025.

This case progressed from investigation to criminal charges in just 23 months, significantly faster than the FCA’s average of 42 months for enforcement cases concluded in 2023/24. It highlights the FCA’s ongoing efforts to improve the speed and effectiveness of its enforcement work.

Steve Smart, Joint Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the FCA, stated:
“Tackling financial crime is a cornerstone of our strategy. We will pursue those who engage in criminal behaviour that harms consumers and undermines trust in financial markets. We allege that Mr Burford acted dishonestly to defraud clients for personal gain.”