James Gately found to have bought home with crime proceeds

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

James ‘Mago’ Gately was found by the High Court to have bought and renovated his Coolock family home with funds that were overwhelmingly proceeds of crime, in a ruling on 19 June 2024.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens also found that a Volkswagen Golf and a Rolex watch seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in 2019 were likely bought with crime proceeds. The findings in the bureau’s civil case applied the balance of probabilities standard.

Gately and Charlene Lam denied the allegations and argued that the assets were acquired with legitimate funds. The judge said about €6,500 from a personal injury payout to Lam was likely used towards the home, and that sum would be deducted from any order concerning the assets and funds. He said a deduction would also be made for the import duty paid on the vehicle.

The judge gave the bureau’s receiver power to sell the vehicle and watch. The report also said the couple had earlier been granted free legal aid to fight the case.