Perhaps it might be prudent for UK financial professionals regularly engaged in Trans-Atlantic commerce to learn about not only the criminal laws of the United States, but about the sentencing policies and procedures. A short study of American conspiracy laws, for example, would definitely be an eye-opener, as well as the United States Sentencing Guidelines, especially the method through which a sentence is mathematically calculated and adjusted. Such a task might just make one a bit more careful when confronted with a choice between proper business ethics, and earning an obscene amount of money by bending the rules.

The lesson of NatWest: The United States criminal justice system doesn't just make examples out of online UK gaming executives. It also will target fraudsters overseas, if they are a part of a major American case, and any unfortunate UK businessmen caught up in the law enforcement web had better plead guilty forthwith, or he may find himself sharing a cell with a rough-around-the-edges drug kingpin who has no sense of humour. Save yourself, mate.