Courts / Cavan / Report

Divorced couple avoid jail for part in €180k invoice fraud

Date
2022-07-27
Stage
Hearing Or Decision
Primary locality
Cavan
County
Cavan

Summary

A divorced couple received fully suspended sentences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering nearly €180,000 stolen through an invoice redirect fraud targeting an education board. Zanab Ibrahim, aged 51, of Wolfe Tone Street in Cavan, and her ex-husband Francis Falaye, aged 54, of Lobinstown Apartment in Navan, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to the offence. The Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board was defrauded when an email purporting to come from a construction company redirected payment for school works in Tullamore to accounts controlled by the defendants. Ibrahim received €178,695 into her fashion boutique account, from which €50,000 was transferred to Falaye four days later. The fraud emerged when the genuine contractor advised non-receipt of payment. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a suspended two-and-a-half-year sentence on each defendant, conditional on keeping the peace. Falaye was ordered to pay €1,000 to the Peter McVerry Trust. Gardaí recovered all but €1,000 of the stolen funds.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Divorced couple avoid jail for part in €180k invoice fraud. Charges or matters: money laundering on October 31, 2014. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Case subjects

Francis Falaye

Defendant

Charges: money laundering on October 31, 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Zanab Ibrahim

Defendant

Charges: money laundering on October 31, 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention
Address Area
  • Dublin's Moore Street

Topics

Fraud Stage Hearing Or Decision Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request