Courts / Dublin / Report

Leaving Cert student who became money mule avoids jail

Date
2021-10-07

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Lucan

County
Dublin

Summary

Gerdas Svambaris, aged 20, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended nine‑month imprisonment for possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct after he allowed his bank account to receive over £10,000 that was the proceeds of criminal activity. He was 18 when he agreed to store the money and could not withdraw it because the account was frozen following the lodgement. Svambaris pleaded guilty on 24 April 2019 at AIB, Main Street Lucan. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted that the origin of the money was not yet established and that the case involved a young man approached by more menacing elements in the criminal underworld. The sentence was suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, and the judge said Svambaris had learned his lesson and was assessed as a low risk of re‑offending. The account was frozen, preventing any loss to parties involved.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Leaving Cert student who became money mule avoids jail. Charges or matters: possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct at AIB, Main Street Lucan, on April 24, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence

When: