£1.3bn fraud claim filed against HSBC UK Bank for 'sham' film investment scheme

'Catastrophic for unwitting investors'

Lauren Mason
clock • 1 min read

A £1.3bn fraud claim has been filed by 371 investors against HSBC UK Bank for losses caused as a result of their Eclipse Partnerships film investment scheme, which they said they were induced to invest in on "false promises".

The Eclipse scheme was created, developed and marketed by HSBC to finance a series of blockbuster Disney films including Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3, National Treasure 2, Enchanted, Underdogs and Confessions of a Shopaholic. However, the claimants - who have filed their complaint with law firm Edwin Coe LLP - say none of these film rights were ever actively traded, leading to significant losses and potential liabilities. HSBC allegedly received more than £25m in fees for its role in Eclipse, which was open to investors between 2006 and 2008. 750 individuals invested a combined £2...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Regulation

FCA CEO sets out shift in regulator's approach with 'less rules'

FCA CEO sets out shift in regulator's approach with 'less rules'

Consumer Duty ‘will do a lot of the work for us’

Isabel Baxter
clock 18 February 2026 • 2 min read
Failed financial advice firms tracker

Failed financial advice firms tracker

Firms that the FSCS has confirmed as failed since the start of 2023

Professional Adviser
clock 17 February 2026 • 1 min read
Duty of care: Moving the needle from compliance to strategy

Duty of care: Moving the needle from compliance to strategy

'Prioritising vulnerable customers should no longer be seen as an overhead'

Jonathan Barrett
clock 10 February 2026 • 4 min read