Silenced, arrested, sued… for daring to complain about their failed investments | Money

Almost a year ago Diane Bentley, a retired nurse who lives in France, joined a Facebook group. It was a decision that would land her in court, fighting a business that claims to be one of the world’s biggest financial advice firms — the deVere Group.

Bentley, 63, joined the social media page to share a complaint about how a deVere adviser had persuaded her to move her final salary pension (which offered a guaranteed income in retirement, for life) into investments based in Malta. She said the advice had left her thousands of pounds worse off.

To date, her battle against the firm, which has its headquarters in the United Arab Emirates and was founded by the British businessman Nigel Green, has cost her