Birch's firm, PKF, advised on the takeover of Portsmouth in June by CSI, 80% owned by the Russian banker Vladimir Antonov, who is now accused of bank fraud in Lithuania. PKF carried out due diligence for CSI, analysing Portsmouth's parlous financial position, before Antonov bought the club from the Hong Kong businessman, Balram Chainrai. PKF was then appointed auditor to Portsmouth after the takeover and in December submitted an invoice of £20,000 to the club for that work.