Psychic told gardai he used alternative names to stop them tracking him

Simon Gold, aged 54, from Aughavas, County Leitrim, pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges of money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments between January 2010 and October 2012. During the second day of evidence, a transcript of a garda interview was read to the jury in which Mr Gold acknowledged using multiple names including Simon Gold, Simon Magnier, Niall O'Donoghue, Simon Gould and Stephen Gould. He stated he had adopted these names to prevent gardaí from tracking him, though he claimed to have remained "in plain sight". Mr Gold confirmed that €1.6 million was transferred into an Ulster Bank account for Anglo Irish Global Ltd in October 2012, which he said was intended for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast. He admitted dispersing funds on instructions from others and using false documents, including an ESB bill and UK driving licence, to open accounts and make purchases. A detective sergeant described finding vacant offices at Leixlip purportedly housing the company. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan.