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20240912 - Man charged over money laundering offences in Finglas

12/9/2024

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1.  Summary
  • i. A man was formally charged in relation to multiple money laundering offenses in the Finglas area of Dublin. He was brought before the Criminal Courts of Justice, where he faced the charges.
  • ii. The arrest followed an ongoing investigation by law enforcement targeting financial crimes linked to the area.
  • iii.A woman, also arrested as part of the same operation, was questioned and subsequently released without charge.
  • iv. The authorities are continuing their inquiries, and a file will be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further action.
  • v. The case highlights the increased focus on tackling money laundering and financial crime in Dublin.

2.  What’s interesting
  • i. The most notable aspect of this case for AML professionals is the involvement of multiple individuals and the use of coordinated arrests in targeting a money laundering scheme.
  • ii. It shows the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in detecting suspicious financial activities and their ability to track down and charge individuals involved.
  • iii. Additionally, the case highlights the necessity of monitoring regional financial crime trends, particularly in areas like Finglas, which might be emerging hotspots for such illicit activities.
Source: 
  • ​https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-charged-over-money-laundering-offences-in-finglas-1671309.html
  • https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/press-releases/2024/september/arrests-gnecb-money-laundering-investigations-finglas-dublin-9th-september-2024.html
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20240909 - Land seized in Clare after investigation into organised criminal gang

9/9/2024

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​Land seized in Clare after investigation into organised criminal gang - Agriland.ie

1.  Summary
  • The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seized a house, 20-stable livery yard, and 18.35 acres of land in Clare as part of an investigation into an organized criminal gang in the Munster region.
  • The assets were linked to a suspect whose criminal activities funded the property purchase.
  • Court orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act were issued in 2016 and later in 2024.
  • Evidence revealed €223,500 in criminal funds was used to buy the property in 2012.
  • A money laundering scheme involving Irish and Spanish bank accounts was dismantled during the investigation.

2.  What’s interesting
  • The most notable aspect of this case for AML professionals is the effective use of the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Criminal Assets Bureau’s approach to tracing criminal funds used to purchase property.
  • The investigation revealed a complex money laundering scheme involving cross-border transactions through Irish and Spanish bank accounts.
  • This demonstrates the importance of monitoring property acquisitions and bank account movements, as well as the effectiveness of leveraging legal frameworks to disrupt organized crime operations and recover assets
Source:
​https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/land-seized-in-clare-after-investigation-into-organised-criminal-gang/
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20240815 - Man arrested in Dublin after being identified as suspected money mule herder

15/8/2024

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What happened?

What happened?

A man has been arrested after being identified as a suspected money mule herder following the search of a residence in West Tallaght, Dublin.

Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) carried out a search at the property as part of a larger investigation into incidents of fraud in Norway, Germany, the US, Hawaii and Ireland.

The investigation also looked into the subsequent laundering of money through money mule accounts, businesses, and trade-based money laundering operations.

"Up to 50 different money mules have been identified as having laundered over €196,000 through his bank accounts in Ireland, Germany and Belgium," a Garda spokesperson said.

"This money came from victims of mainly smishing frauds in Ireland, was initially laundered through these 50 money mule accounts and then forwarded by the money mules to the suspects' three bank accounts."

During the course of the search, a number of items, including a "high value" Range Rover, which was suspected to have been purchased with the proceeds of crime, were seized.
The following items were also seized:
  • A number of passports;
  • Bank cards in family names and names of suspected money mules;
  • Bank account details;
  • Details of registered companies and businesses;
  • Cash in euros and dollars;
  • A note teller (cash counting machine);
  • 30 mobile phones;
  • A desktop computer and laptop.
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Range Rover seized by Gardai

​What’s interesting?

What’s interesting?
  • Recruitment and Management of Money Mules: The suspect was involved in recruiting and managing up to 50 money mules, which indicates a well-organized operation aimed at facilitating large-scale money laundering.
  • International Fraud Connections: The investigation linked fraud incidents across multiple countries, including Norway, Germany, the US, and Ireland, suggesting a sophisticated and transnational criminal network.
  • Suspicious Possessions and Transactions: The seizure of high-value items like a Range Rover, multiple passports, and large amounts of cash, along with the use of numerous bank accounts and mobile devices, all point to significant money laundering activities.
Source: ​https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41205400.html
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20240808 - Man charged over €6.5m cryptocurrency seizure in Dublin & ORDERED NOT TO CARRY OUT CRYPTO TRANSACTIONS

8/8/2024

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Man charged over €6.5m cryptocurrency seizure in Dublin [August 8, 2024]

​1. Summary
  • A man has appeared in court following the seizure of €6.5m (£5.6m) worth of cryptocurrency in County Dublin.
  • The seizure was part of an investigation into the sale of illegal material on darknet markets and money laundering.
  • The 23-year-old man is facing three counts of money laundering.
  • Det Garda Ciaran Byrne from the GNCCB told the court that the suspect had been cautioned and arrested at Kevin Street Garda station, and had made no reply to the charges.
  • The three money laundering charges are that on dates between March 2021 and September 2022 that he concealed and disguised the nature and source of 42 separate Binance transactions to the value of more than €34,000, knowing them to be the proceeds of criminal activity.
  • Another charge relates to more than €22,000 worth of Wirex transactions whilst the final charge relates to the concealment of more than 1,800 Revolut transactions worth more than €227,000, knowing they were the proceeds of criminal conduct on dates between February 2021 and June 2024.
  • The suspect was released on bail and is due to appear again in court on 3 October.
The judge also warned Mr Andrei that it would be a condition of his bail "not to carry out any cryptocurrency transactions" and make no comments on public forums, including social media, about the case.
2. What’s interesting
  • High-Value Cryptocurrency Seizure: The case highlights the increasing use of cryptocurrency in illicit activities, particularly in money laundering, necessitating stricter oversight and monitoring of digital assets.
  • Complex Transaction Patterns: The charges involve a large number of transactions across multiple platforms (Binance, Wirex, Revolut), underscoring the need for robust transaction monitoring systems to detect suspicious activities.
  • Darknet Market Involvement: The investigation ties the cryptocurrency to illegal darknet sales, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in identifying and reporting connections to such markets. 
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Sources:
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cql3vx15e2wo
  • https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/dubliner-accused-of-possessing-600k-in-crime-proceeds-after-cryptocurrency-probe/a57642860.html
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20240731 - Man jailed for role in organised crime group involved in money laundering and drug trafficking

31/7/2024

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Written by a www.MoneyLaundering.ie Guest Contributor
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1. Summary
  • A man has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years for his role in an organised crime group involved in international money laundering and drug trafficking.
  • The suspect was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison, with the final five years suspended, after he pleaded guilty to assisting or facilitating the criminal organisation's activities between April 29th, 2021 and February 4th, 2022.
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardaí investigating the suspect organised crime group discovered an electronic ledger detailing transactions of over €924,000 over an eight-month period between June 2021 and January 2022.
  • In a ruling on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan said there was no doubt that the suspect was involved at a high level in a serious criminal organisation involved in dealing and distributing drugs and laundering large amounts of money. “It's a profitable organisation, and he's important to them,” said the judge.
2. What’s interesting
  • Large Financial Transactions: The discovery of an electronic ledger detailing transactions of over €924,000 over an eight-month period is noteworthy. It indicates a substantial volume of money laundering activity and provides concrete evidence of the scale of the operations.
  • Link to Drug Trafficking): The involvement in both money laundering and drug trafficking illustrates the intersection of financial crimes with narcotics operations, emphasizing the complexity and reach of organized crime.
Source:
  • https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-jailed-for-role-in-organised-crime-group-involved-in-money-laundering-and-drug-trafficking-1656648.html
  • https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/dublin-man-jailed-for-over-8-years-for-role-in-drug-trafficking-and-money-laundering-crime-group/a899372991.html
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20240716 - 63 people arrested in operation with Gardaí and Interpol

16/7/2024

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Written by a www.MoneyLaundering.ie Guest Contributor
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1.  Summary
  • Gardaí have arrested 63 people as part of an operation with Interpol across 21 countries around the world.
  • 17 people have been charged, while two cars have been seized, as well as €49,000 worth of goods believed to have been bought with stolen or laundered money.
  • 17 bank accounts have been blocked under suspicion of being opened under false names.
  • 37 searches were carried out, with 11 phones seized.
  • €81,133 and $260,953 in cryptocurrency were also seized.
  • Gardaí from Dublin, Kerry, Laois, Tipperary, and Galway were involved.

2.  What’s interesting
  • Multiple Countries Involved: The operation spans 21 countries, which might indicate an international money laundering scheme or complex financial networks.
  • Seizure of Goods and Cash: The seizure of €49,000 worth of goods and significant amounts of cryptocurrency (€81,133 and $260,953) suggests that illicit funds were being used for purchases and investments. This might indicate the laundering of large amounts of money.
  • Blocked Bank Accounts: The blocking of 17 bank accounts under suspicion of being opened under false names points to possible identity fraud and efforts to conceal the true ownership and origins of funds.

Source
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/63-people-arrested-in-operation-with-gardai-and-interpol-1650689.html


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20240107 - Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) Received at FIU Ireland up by 46% to 68,998 strs in 2023

1/7/2024

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Written by a www.MoneyLaundering.ie Guest Contributor
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  • Headline: 46% increase in total number of STRs reported to the FIU in Ireland in 2023 with total of 68,988
  • Largest increase in reporting attributed to VASPs with total number of reports outstripping banks in 2023.
  • Top 3 reporting entities as follows:

  1. VASP: 23,843 (35% of total)
  2. Bank: 19,161(28% of total)
  3. Credit Union: 4,007 (6% of total)

Download the Report here: ​https://fiu-ireland.ie/public_documents/strs_received.pdf
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20240417 - Dublin man whose wife stole €800k from Virgin Media jailed for money laundering. Judge says “Nobody can launder this amount of money and not go to prison.”

17/4/2024

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A Dublin man whose wife stole over €800,000 from Virgin Media where she worked in payroll has been jailed for money laundering.

John Murray (43), of Kilfenora Road in Kimmage, pleaded guilty to three sample counts, representing 10 charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, on dates between January 2009 and July 2019.
He was sentenced to two years in prison after Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that his wife transferred a total of €872,470 to his Bank of Ireland account over the ten-year period.

The court heard that Murray's wife, Kellie Walton (42), had been employed as payroll administrator for the company formerly known as TV3, apart from two periods when she took maternity leave.

Over the decade, Walton transferred an average of €80,000 a year to her husband's account, most of which was spent on foreign holidays, premium TV channels and phone subscriptions.

Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan said Murray should have known at a very early stage that his wife was stealing and that it was “very reckless” of him to have let it continue.

He noted that the couple, who have four children, had squandered all the money.

When counsel for the defence commented that there was a “tragic quality” to the fact that the couple had been left with nothing, Judge Nolan suggested that it was perhaps more “tragicomic”.

Judge Nolan said Murray has no record of conviction, a very good work history and an impressive array of references on his behalf.

He sentenced him to two years in prison.

The court heard that Walton was sentenced in January 2023 to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended.

She has already been released and is working part-time in a barbershop, the court heard.

Garda David Jennings told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that Murray initially denied the charges and was due to start trial last month, but pleaded guilty on the day of his trial.

Gda Jennings said Walton's salary as payroll administrator for Virgin Media was “in or around €30,000 a year”.
“She copped a glitch in the system and was able to exploit it,” said Gda Jennings.

The court heard that Virgin Media had three separate payroll systems for staff, casual workers and UK work.

Gda Jennings said Walton invented details of someone who was owed money by the company and then regularly transferred money into her husband's Bank of Ireland account, making the payments look genuine.

The offending came to light after an employee in Virgin Media's head office noticed unauthorised payments.
The court heard that the majority of the money was spent on foreign holidays and subscriptions to channels including Sky Sports.

Murray was arrested and acknowledged in a garda interview that the Bank of Ireland account was his.

​The court heard that €18,000 of the money was transferred to the bank account of a relative who was completely innocent and unaware that the money was the proceeds of crime.

This money has been frozen and will be returned to Virgin Media, along with a further €12,473 remaining in John Murray's account.

Virgin Media remains at a “substantial loss”, Judge Nolan said.

Gda Jennings agreed with Dean Kelly SC, defending, that the money had been “squandered” as it was coming in, mostly on sales transactions.

OverdrawnThe court heard that some months, Murray's bank account was overdrawn by a couple of hundred euro.

Gda Jennings also agreed that the scheme was Walton's “brainchild” and that it was not executed or organised by Murray.

Mr Kelly said Murray has been working consistently since he left school at the age of 15, including in car valeting, Rentokil and most recently at a hire company where he has worked for the last five years.

The court heard that Murray's employer, who is aware of the charges, wrote a lengthy letter to court explaining that Murray is in a trusted financial position within the company, that he is a keyholder and handles cash.

Two medical reports were also handed into court, showing that Murray has been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease for which he has been hospitalised.

He is also on anti-depressants after suffering a depressive breakdown, the court heard.

Letters were also submitted from Murray's son, sister and mother, urging clemency.

Mr Kelly said Murray's culpability was “of a lesser order” than that of his wife, who had committed a serious breach of trust against her company.

“He recognised an increase in his family fortunes, but he turned his face away about the mechanisms behind it,” said Mr Kelly, who claimed that there were no aggravating factors in the case against Murray.

Mr Kelly said his client's family are now living in “reduced circumstances” in a rented apartment.
​

Judge Nolan said Murray was unlikely to reoffend and was currently working and contributing to society, but he added: “Nobody can launder this amount of money and not go to prison.”

Source: 
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/dublin-man-whose-wife-stole-e800k-from-virgin-media-jailed-for-money-laundering-1614673.html

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20240505 - Man accused of assaulting gardaí and money laundering in Laois

6/4/2024

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A bench warrant was issued for a man who is accused of assaulting two garda, handling stolen property and money laundering. 

Andrei Plyshevsky, 48, with an address at 11A Eyre Street, Newbridge, Co Kildare failed to appear before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

He is accused of handling stolen property, money laundering and having no insurance at M7 Morette, Portlaoise on February 13, 2024. He is further accused of trespassing on a building and assaulting two gardaí at the same M7 Morette, Portlaoise on the same date.

Judge Andrew Cody noted the defendant had been stopped and allegedly found in possession  of a large amount of stolen property. 

https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime---court/1468645/man-accused-of-assaulting-gardai-and-money-laundering-in-laois.html


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20240405 - UK SARs by the numbers

5/4/2024

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Read more about thge TOTAL SARs RECEIVED UK
* 901,255 in 2021-2022 versus 859,905 in 2022-2023
​
FUNDS DENIED FROM DAML REQUESTS
​* £305.7M in 2021-2022 versus £272.7M 2022-2023

CLIICK IMAGE BELOW FOR FULL REPORT
​(otherwise here)

Posted on moneylaundering.ie because of the fact that total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Ireland was £89.6 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2023, an increase of 10.4% or £8.4 billion in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q3 2022. Where there is money, there is money laundering. A fact of life.

Read more about the UK SARS regime here
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