Simon Gold denies €1.7m deception charges

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

Simon Gold was on trial accused of deception, theft and money laundering in connection with alleged offences involving more than €1.7 million. The proceedings were reported on 17 May 2019.

He denies the charges.

Opening the case on 16 May, prosecuting counsel Lorcan Staines said four Irish men were deceived into transferring money in the belief it would secure them larger loans. The report said the loans never materialised.

Mr Staines said a wealthy Danish businessman had agreed with a German lawyer to lodge €1.6 million in an account in return for a monthly investment return. He said the money was paid into an account opened by Gold in two instalments of €800,000, and €678,000 was transferred to various accounts before the bank froze it.

Gold told Gardaí his company had agreed to handle the money for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast and that an associate instructed him where to transfer it. He said he had tried to help the businessman recover his money after the account was frozen, and that €920,000 remained in the account.