Courts / Dublin / Report
Courts getting 'impatient' with young people allowing accounts to be used by criminals
Summary
In a Circuit Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan criticised young people for using their bank accounts to launder stolen money, citing the case of 19‑year‑old Zach Phelan. Phelan had received just over €36,000 of stolen funds in his account and spent nearly €9,000 on luxury goods, including a €5,000 spree at Brown Thomas and €4,000 at electronic stores. He had only a few cents in his account when the transfer occurred, and attempts to move further amounts to offshore accounts failed. Garda Fionnuala Lawlor explained that the money was mistakenly sent to Phelan's account after a hacked email between a business and its client. Phelan pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering on 15 November 2019, when he was 18, and had no prior convictions. The court recovered €14,775 of the stolen money and adjourned sentencing to 30 April.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Courts getting 'impatient' with young people allowing accounts to be used by criminals. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- November 15, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 30 Adjournment
- 2021-04-23 Publication
Places mentioned
Topics
Fraud Stage Hearing Or Decision Theft
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