Jane Dowling, 54, of Newlands House, Baldonnell, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deceiving Dublin City Council into paying her €12,000 finder's fee for sourcing rental properties under the Housing Assistance Payments scheme on 7 December 2018. At the time she worked for a rental property company while also running her own company, City Properties, which had no connection to her employer. Dowling used properties that her employer managed and claimed the finder's fee under her own company. She has since repaid the full amount. Judge Martin Nolan, noting that Dowling is the sole provider for her teenage daughter and has no prior convictions, sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended in full, and accepted that she is unlikely to appear again in court. The case was prosecuted by Aoife McNickle BL and defended by Justin McQuade BL. The Gardaí had arrested Dowling in September 2020 after her employer reported the deception.
Ignac Aradi, 51, a Hungarian national, was sentenced to a concurrent 21‑month term for possessing child sexual abuse material after he was caught flying €8.4 million worth of heroin into Ireland on a light aircraft. While being arrested by Gardaí, 1,480 child sexual abuse images were found on his phone, including 820 category‑one images depicting sexual activity involving children and 57 category‑one videos. The remaining images were category‑two, involving child exposure. Aradi pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. He had previously been convicted of embezzlement, theft, counterfeiting, fraud and drug importation. He has five children, one of whom died in a car crash at age 21. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the 21‑month sentence without extending his existing 10‑year term for the heroin importation offence. The sentence is to run concurrently with his current custodial term.
A second jury failed to reach a verdict in the trial of Ciara Kelleher (53), the former senior portfolio relationship manager of Custom House Capital Ltd (CHC), who was accused of conspiring with others to defraud investors, clients, and customers of CHC by intentionally misleading them as to where or how their assets had been placed between October 2008 and July 2011. Kelleher, of Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7, denied the charge. The case was adjourned to February 27 for the prosecution to obtain further directions, with Kelleher remanded on continuing bail to that date. Meanwhile, CHC's former CEO Harry Cassidy (69), along with former head of private clients John Whyte (55), former head of finance Paul Lavery (49), and non-executive director John Mulholland (75) had previously pleaded guilty to related charges. Cassidy was sentenced to six years and ten months, Whyte to four years, Lavery to three years, and Mulholland to 12 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court almost two years ago. The court heard that €56 million of client money had been inappropriately transferred to property investments, with €61 million found to have been misappropriated, of which €39 million has been recovered as of March 2023.
Stephen Geoghegan, 35, of Neilstown Park, Clondalkin, was jailed for money laundering after a search of his home revealed €85,520 in cash, a jet ski, a van, a luxury watch, sterling, and a bag of €63,000 wrapped in cling film. He pleaded guilty to possession of the cash on November 1, 2023, claiming ignorance of its source. Geoghegan, who receives social welfare and has no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí and admitted the money was his, though he would not disclose its origin. The Gardaí had confidential information that led to the search. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Geoghegan's lack of previous convictions and his cooperation, but noted he held the money on behalf of a criminal organisation. He imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to a custodial term of two and a half years, and forfeited the seized items to the State. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Liudmyla Budash, 46, a Ukrainian refugee, was found with €500,000 in cash and pleaded guilty to money laundering at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2024. Judge Elva Duffy originally sentenced her to 15 months, reduced to two years, with nine months suspended. The Court of Appeal quashed the original term and, on 5 February 2025, Mr Justice Patrick MacGrath resentenced her to four and a half years in prison. He noted her active, premeditated role in moving large sums, her lack of prior convictions, and her status as a mother of three. The headline sentence was set at seven years before a two‑and‑a‑half‑year reduction, resulting in the final term. The case involved a Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau operation that seized the cash in Temple Bar on 12 April 2024. The appeal argued the initial sentence was too lenient, citing the seriousness of the offence and the amount involved.
Sharif Kelly, 54, of Balbriggan, Co Dublin, has failed in his bid to pursue a conviction appeal before the Supreme Court regarding the 2013 murder of dissident Republican Peter Butterly. Kelly, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in April 2017. The court heard that Dean Evans, who pleaded guilty to the murder, fired the three fatal shots into Butterly at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, while Kelly was the getaway driver. Kelly's earlier Court of Appeal challenge in April 2022 was dismissed, with judges unimpressed by his objections to the evidence of protected witness David Cullen. Cullen, who turned State's witness, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the scene and was sentenced in July 2014 to seven years in prison, with three and a half years suspended. Kelly's lawyers also sought to introduce fresh evidence concerning Garda Joseph Doyle, who was later jailed for corruption and deception offences. The Supreme Court refused leave to appeal, determining that issues regarding the admissibility of accomplice-type evidence are primarily for the trial court to analyse and that the Court of Appeal correctly applied established principles governing fresh evidence.
The Workplace Relations Commission has joined David Moore and three members of the Astronomy Ireland management committee as respondents in a claim brought by former manager Sonya Martin. Martin alleges constructive dismissal and breaches of employment rights after resigning in July 2023, claiming she was forced to resign because the club had no board and that she was being made a party to a fraud on the State. She also accuses Moore of pocketing money that should have gone to the society, citing that fees paid for speakers had not been deposited for years. Moore denies any financial irregularities and says he was only the magazine editor. The tribunal adjourned the hearing, with a new date to be set in early March, after Moore objected to being joined as a respondent and claimed he had not received proper notice of the case management meeting.
Harpreet Gosal, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of fraud for dishonestly inducing golf clubs to purchase equipment and then withdrawing payment instructions. The clubs were Beaverstown Golf Club, Stackstown Golf Club in Dublin, and Powerscourt Golf Club in County Wicklow. The equipment, valued between €2,000 and €10,000, included electric caddies, drivers, a set of irons and golf balls. Judge Martin Nolan described the scheme as a "scam" where Gosal and an accomplice contacted clubs, arranged purchases, paid over the phone, and then withdrew bank instructions. A bench warrant exists for the co‑accused. Gosal was sentenced to a headline term of four years, with a custodial term of two and a half years. The court noted his 48 prior convictions in England and his parents' letter of support. The equipment was never recovered.
Dean Kelly, 37, was sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted theft of a man with an acquired brain injury. On 16 September 2022, Kelly called the victim's home, calling him a "kiddie fiddler" and threatening to release naked photographs unless the victim gave him cash. He then accompanied the victim to an ATM, urging him to withdraw €40, but tried to withdraw an additional €700. The victim managed to recover his card and alerted the Gardaí. Kelly had a history of 65 theft and fraud convictions, plus robbery and handling stolen property. He is currently serving a sentence for theft and is due for release in November. The judge noted Kelly's long offending history but also his positive behaviour in prison, and imposed a 27‑month term.
A judge issued a bench warrant for David Williams, 67, after he failed to appear for sentencing. Williams, who had pleaded guilty to multiple counts of deception, including fraudulently posing as a barrister and defrauding a Galway woman of over €7,000, had previously been adjourned for medical reasons and had a history of non‑attendance. He was also convicted of providing legal services while unqualified and acting as an unauthorised insolvency practitioner. His partner, Crystal Talia, 46, was sentenced today for allowing Williams to use her bank accounts to facilitate the fraud. Talia received a fully suspended 12‑month sentence, with the judge noting her good character and family circumstances. The case involved the fraudulent firms THL Legal and Moore, Barrington and Walters, which were raided and found to have a client list of 1,200 victims. The bench warrant was issued to ensure Williams' arrest.
Rodel Padilla, a former nurse manager at Beacon Hospital, has received a three-year, fully suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan handed down the sentence after Padilla pleaded guilty to deception committed between July 2021 and August 2023. The court heard that Padilla exploited a system glitch to overstate his overtime, resulting in approximately €56,000 in payments. He resigned immediately after an internal investigation flagged the irregularities in 2023 and made full admissions to gardai. Judge Nolan noted that the matter was initially adjourned overnight to consider the appropriate disposal. In sentencing, the judge cited Padilla's guilty plea, cooperation, lack of previous convictions, and good work history as key mitigating factors. The judge stated that Padilla did not deserve imprisonment for his offending. Defence counsel highlighted that Padilla had lost his career and was in irrecoverable financial difficulty, having taken out loans to send money to family in the Philippines. The judge accepted that Padilla was unlikely to reoffend and that his remorse was genuine. The sentence is fully suspended, meaning Padilla will not serve time in custody, provided he meets any associated conditions.
Patrick O'Toole, a Wicklow solicitor and former developer aged 63, was found guilty of three counts of deception and two counts of attempted deception relating to a false letter that claimed he had paid a €64,840 financial contribution for an apartment complex. He had used the letter to induce purchasers to complete sales in 2006‑2008 and attempted to dissuade Wicklow Town Council from seeking the money in 2008 and 2012 by sending the same letter and suggesting the council contact former clerk Frank O'Toole. The court acquitted him of a single corruption count. He was sentenced to a suspended 18‑month term for the 2012 attempted deception, fined €20,000 for the 2008 attempt, and the other three deception counts were taken into consideration. He has since paid the full amount, an overpayment of €10,000, to the local authority. The judge noted no prior convictions and imposed a non‑custodial sentence. Patrick O'Toole pleaded not guilty.
Maria Stefan, 33, pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming €18,045.60 in one‑parent and rental allowances between December 2017 and December 2018. She had previously lived at Thomas Moore Road, West Dublin, but was seen at an Ashton Drive house in Swords where her then‑partner lived. An investigation began after a welfare inspector noticed inconsistencies in February 2021. A search of the Ashton Drive house on 4 June 2021 found a letter addressed to Stefan and other items, and evidence that she used the address online 54 times. Stefan admitted the online account was hers and that she sent the messages. She has 10 prior convictions, including theft and burglary. Judge Orla Crowe directed her to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year, three‑month prison term and to engage with probation services for one year.
A parish priest's personal bank account was almost €50,000 emptied in a phone‑scam that involved a bogus broadband connection fee. The priest, after receiving a call from a supposed broadband company, attempted to pay a one‑off fee of €5 online. He tried to make the payment over 40 times in four days, resulting in the loss of nearly €50,000. Money mule Kelvin Kleinovas (24) later transferred €10,000 of the stolen cash into his own account. Kleinovas pleaded guilty in August 2019 to having the proceeds of crime in his account and was arrested in September 2021. He has seven prior convictions, including money laundering, for which he received a two‑year suspended sentence. None of the stolen money was recovered. The priest's victim impact statement expressed deep disappointment with the bank's failure to protect his funds and described the loss as devastating.
Mary O'Sullivan, aged 52, pleaded guilty to one count of deception, four counts of using a false instrument and four counts of false accounting for taking €16,024 from her non‑profit employer, Leargas, between 2016 and 2019. She oversaw the petty cash process and falsified receipts and accounting records. A 2019 review uncovered irregularities, including altered receipts and incomplete records. O'Sullivan was interviewed by Gardaí, attempted to blame colleagues, claimed she was bullied and that the petty cash book was accurate, and suggested the money was used for budget purposes. She offered €16,000 as restitution. The court imposed a two‑year sentence, fully suspended it, and required her to enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, while ordering payment of the restitution to Leargas. The sentence was imposed by Judge Orla Crowe.
Former rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 61, was convicted in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of stealing just over €567,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank between 2011 and 2013. The jury found him guilty on 12 of 14 charges, including the theft of €500,000 that was transferred to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Mullin had arranged payments to McCann Fitzgerald solicitors, Beechwood accountants and Grant Thornton for work he performed personally or for his firm Quantum Investment Strategies, and had redirected invoices from his personal address to the private bank. He was acquitted of two charges relating to Beechwood Partners and a deception count. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, noting his position of trust and the fact that the bank was fully repaid before the investigation began. Mullin accepted the verdict and expressed remorse. The sentence was handed down on the day of the hearing.
Noel Ward, 59, of Ballymun, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming over €109,000 in social welfare benefits between May 2008 and August 2019. Ward pleaded guilty to two charges of using a false instrument, including a driving licence, and six counts of theft from the State. The court heard that Ward used the identity of his late friend, Patrick Rooney, to claim benefits such as Jobseekers' Allowance and Disability Benefit, while also working under Rooney's name to claim additional allowances in his own name. Judge Orla Crowe described the conduct as a deliberate and sophisticated fraud. Considering mitigating factors, including Ward's status as a sole carer and his repayment of all but €15,000 of the stolen funds, the judge set a headline sentence of five years. She imposed a term of three years, suspending the final 18 months. Ward is required to repay the remaining €15,000 to the State within four years. The matter was finalised with this custodial sentence and suspended portion.
Kym Dunleavy, 50, of St Josephs Place, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to using a false medical prescription between November 2018 and April 2019. She had taken a prescription pad from Beaumont Hospital and forged prescriptions for sleeping tablets. Gardaí discovered the pad after a pharmacy raised concerns about a false prescription. CCTV footage identified Dunleavy, and a warrant led to the pad being found under a mattress at her home. The pharmacist confirmed the pad was legitimate but the prescriptions were forgeries. Dunleavy claimed she used the forged prescriptions to obtain more tablets to manage anxiety and nightmares. She has 71 prior convictions, mainly theft and fraud. The court remanded her on bail pending sentencing, with a Probation Service report due on 31 March. The judge noted her high risk of re‑offending and lack of engagement with psychiatric services.
Mary O'Sullivan, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of deception, four counts of using a false instrument and four counts of false accounting for taking €16,024 from Leargas, a non‑profit, between 2016 and 2019. She oversaw the petty cash process, kept incomplete records and falsified receipts. A 2019 review uncovered irregularities, altered receipts and incomplete accounts. O'Sullivan delayed reconciliation, handed over receipts and the petty cash book only after being asked, and during interviews blamed colleagues, claimed budget reasons and said receipts were in storage. Garda searches found no evidence. Her employment ended after the review. She has no prior convictions, was working and supporting her parents, and pleaded remorse. The case was adjourned to 2 December for finalisation.
The trial of criminal defence solicitor Cahir O'Higgins, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of theft and four counts of perverting the course of justice, continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The prosecution alleges that on July 30, 2016, O'Higgins withdrew €600 from an ATM at a Londis shop on Parkgate Street using the bank card of applicant Raul Sanz Quilis, keeping €400 for himself after paying a €200 court fee. Sanz Quilis, who was charged with criminal damage, consented to the withdrawal solely to pay the fine. Evidence from Courts Service clerk Derek Bunyan confirmed the case was struck out after the payment. Additionally, the State alleges O'Higgins provided gardaí in December 2017 with notes he claimed were made on July 30, 2016, which the prosecution says contained untrue information. Natwest Group Fraud Control Manager Michael Wilson testified that records show three €200 withdrawals were made from the Spanish-issued card between 4pm and 5pm on that date. O'Higgins denies all allegations, maintaining he acted in good faith. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised.
Two men, a former Soviet fighter pilot and a former construction company owner, were sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison for smuggling 60 kg of heroin into Dublin. The pilot, Zoltan Nemeth, flew a Cessna 210 that landed at Weston Airport with 120 packages of heroin, each about half a kilo, valued at €8.4 million. Nemeth claimed he was unaware of the cargo, believing it to be prohibited metal for microchips, while the co‑accused, Aradi Ignac, admitted transporting the drugs and said he had fallen into debt to dangerous individuals. Ignac had ten prior convictions, including theft and fraud, and had been involved in planning the operation. The court imposed headline sentences of 13 years for Ignac (actual term ten years) and 10 years for Nemeth, with both sentences backdated to the day they were arrested. Both men have been in custody since December and are on 23‑hour lock‑up for their own protection. Aradi Ignac pleaded guilty. Zoltan Nemeth pleaded guilty.
Cesar Fernandes Borges Filho, 34, was sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to seven counts of deception. The charges related to dishonestly inducing individuals to take out purported motor insurance policies at an unknown location in the State during 2019 and 2020. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Filho targeted members of the Brazilian community who were unfamiliar with the Irish insurance system, collecting approximately €12,500 for policies that were not valid. The judge stated that Filho had taken advantage of a situation, leaving trusting people at a loss. In passing sentence, Judge Nolan acknowledged excellent mitigation due to Filho's cooperation with gardaí and his guilty pleas, noting he was unlikely to reoffend. The court imposed a three-year prison sentence, suspending the final year on specific conditions. These conditions require that Filho's motorbike be sold and the proceeds divided among his victims to provide compensation. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of former rugby star Brendan Mullin, aged 61, focused on a €500,000 transfer from Bank of Ireland Private Bank to Spice Holdings in 2011 that has never been recovered. Mullin faced 15 charges, including nine theft counts, five false accounting, and one deception count, but the jury was directed to find him not guilty of deception. The prosecution alleged Mullin, as managing director of the private bank, stole €573,281 between 2011 and 2013, comprising the €500,000 transfer and about €61,000 in personal legal fees paid by the bank, plus smaller payments to Grant Thornton and Beechwood Partners. Mullin claimed the €500,000 was a payment to his company Quantum to settle a future debt, while the bank argued it was a processing error.
Former rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 61, was found guilty by a jury of 12 of 14 charges in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial. He was accused of stealing more than €570,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank between 2011 and 2013, and of five false accounting offences. The jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on a deception charge involving a payment authorisation letter and on two charges relating to Beechwood Partners. Mullin denied all allegations. The trial, lasting three weeks, examined evidence of payments to McCann Fitzgerald, Beechwood, and Grant Thornton, and the transfer of €500,000 to Spice Holdings in the British Virgin Islands. The judge remanded Mullin on bail ahead of sentencing, ordered him to surrender his passport, and set a sentence date for 25 November. No further details of the sentence were provided in the article.
Innocent Aigbekaen, 31, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two money‑laundering counts involving €75,816 and €60,989 between April 2016 and October 2017. Garda detective Jennifer Connolly described a scheme that ran for 18 months and laundered about €331,000. Judge Pauline Codd said Aigbekaen was a "mule herder" who recruited people, including his wife and co‑workers, to use their bank accounts for the illicit proceeds. He was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final three years suspended for three years on strict conditions. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of five years because of his guilty plea and long employment history. Aigbekaen's defence noted he had not been involved in any other offences since the offence, apart from a cannabis case that was struck out. The court accepted that he had taken responsibility for his role in the scheme.
Herbert Kilcline, a 62‑year‑old former solicitor, was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of eight counts of property fraud involving two Dublin City properties on Phibsborough Road and St Marys Road. The charges included failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Kilcline had previously been jailed in May 2021 for a €120,000 social welfare fraud. The jury deliberated for four hours and 15 minutes. Co‑accused Matthew Murphy, aged 52, was acquitted of four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018, with two counts dismissed by the judge's direction. Philip Marley, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraudulent procurement of a false deed, fraudulent entry into the land registry and deception. All counts relate to the two properties.
Former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin, 61, of Donnybrook, Dublin 4, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court, accused of stealing over €570,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank between 2011 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 on December 16, 2011, eight other counts of stealing just over €73,000, one count of deception, and five counts of false accounting. The jury was instructed to find him not guilty of one specific count of deception relating to a payment authorisation letter. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC argued in closing submissions that Mullin never intended the bank to suffer a loss, noting that the bank was made whole by payments made in 2013 and 2015. Grehan described the decade-long delay in bringing the case to trial as a "Sword of Damocles" hanging over Mullin, asserting there was no good reason for the delay and that the bank prioritised recovering funds over investigation. The defence contended that the €500,000 transfer involving Spice Holdings resulted from a processing error and that Mullin arranged for his company, Quantum, to repay the sum under pressure to clear his name. Grehan further stated that legal fees paid by the bank were returned by Mullin in April 2013. The jury is due to begin deliberations.
David Williams, 68, and co-accused Crystal Talia, 46, pleaded guilty to multiple charges at the pretrial stage. Williams admitted to multiple sample counts of deception between January 2019 and June 2020, as well as defrauding a Galway woman in her 80s by dishonestly inducing her to buy a Kuboto U27 mini-digger for €7,841. Talia pleaded guilty to impeding an investigation by allowing Williams to use her bank accounts. The court heard allegations that Williams, who is not a qualified barrister, operated bogus legal firms to scam approximately 1,200 people. In the separate mini-digger case, Williams allegedly directed the victim to a vendor and provided his own bank account details, though Gardaí traced the machine to a third party and fully refunded the victim. Judge Orla Crowe refused a request for a probation report but granted time for Williams to gather character references. The matter was adjourned, with both defendants remanded on continuing bail for finalisation on December 13.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Ireland rugby international and former managing director of Bank of Ireland Private Bank, focuses on allegations that he stole over €570,000 from the bank between 2011 and 2013. Mullin denies all charges. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn argues the case boils down to dishonesty, emphasizing that repayment of money does not negate theft if the intent was to deprive the owner. McGinn outlines how Mullin allegedly arranged for bank funds to be paid to McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors and other firms, then had those payments refunded to the bank, suggesting an attempt to conceal the theft. He also highlights Mullin's role in transferring €500,000 to Spice Holdings and later repaying it in 2015, arguing this demonstrates his central involvement. Mullin has pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 and eight counts of stealing smaller amounts, as well as counts of deception and false accounting. The trial continues.
Former rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 60, denies 15 charges of theft and false accounting against him. He told Gardaí he arranged a €500,000 repayment to Bank of Ireland Private Bank in 2015 because he could not leave allegations of that nature hanging. Mullin, who was managing director of the bank from 2011 to 2013, claims the money came from his company Quantum Investment Strategies and was transferred to the bank's solicitors, Arthur Cox, after the bank's solicitors advised that a processing error had occurred. He says he had no role in the transfer of the €500,000 to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, and that the transfer was made by the bank's own staff. Mullin has pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 and eight counts of stealing about €73,000, as well as one count of deception and five counts of false accounting.
During a theft trial, Bank of Ireland Private Bank client services director Nicola Johnston testified that former rugby international Brendan Mullin, then managing director, approached her in July 2011 and asked her to sign a €500,000 payment authorisation to Northern Trust in France, referencing a company called Spice Holdings. Johnston said she had no supporting documents and was told by Mullin that she need not know details, so she signed. She later cancelled the authorisation the next morning and informed Mullin, who did not return. Johnston raised the issue with senior bank officials, but the only evidence of the transaction came from a December 2011 compliance sign‑off. Defence counsel argued Johnston's account was fictional, citing a note from finance officer Kim Lloyd that Mullin had counter‑signed the authorisation earlier that day. Mullin denies all 15 charges, including the €500,000 theft, and has pleaded not guilty to related counts of deception and false accounting. The trial continues.
The trial of former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 60, continues. Mullin is accused of stealing €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank in December 2011 and an additional €73,000 in other amounts between July 2011 and March 2013. The prosecution alleges he authorised payments to solicitors McCann Fitzgerald, accountants Beechwood Partners and Grant Thornton for work for his company Quantum Investment Strategies or for himself. The €500,000 was allegedly transferred to Spice Holdings, a company incorporated in 1997 and registered in the British Virgin Islands, and later moved to a Royal Bank of Canada account in Jersey. Evidence included bank records, invoices, and correspondence from Northern Trust and Spice Holdings. Mullin pleaded not guilty to all counts, including one of deception and five of false accounting. The trial remains ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 60, denied 15 charges of theft and fraud involving over €570,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank. Mullin testified that he had always borne personal responsibility for his legal fees and that he had not indicated the bank would pay any portion. He argued that statements suggesting the bank would cover part of his costs were inaccurate and unfair. Mullin's solicitor, Roddy Bourke, confirmed that the bank had indeed provided assistance with legal fees, but Mullin maintained he had not authorized such arrangements. The court heard evidence of Mullin's meetings with Bourke in April 2013, his claims of not seeing the bank's memorandum, and the bank's subsequent inquiries into invoicing. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with a jury hearing the case.
The trial of former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin and McCann Fitzgerald litigation partner Roddy Bourke continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. Both men, who have pleaded not guilty to all charges, face 15 counts each, including stealing over €570,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank, one count of deception, and five counts of false accounting. The prosecution alleges that Mullin, who was managing director of the bank at the time, authorised payments for personal legal and accounting work. Evidence presented includes emails and invoices where Mullin allegedly instructed that bills should not be sent to the office but to him personally. The court heard details regarding the manipulation of invoices for litigation costs, including handwritten alterations to change billing addresses and descriptions to facilitate payment by the bank. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. The trial continues.
An ex‑Ireland rugby international, Brendan Mullin, 60, is accused of stealing more than €570,000 from the Bank of Ireland Private Bank between July 2011 and March 2013. He denies all 15 charges, which include theft, deception and false accounting. The prosecution alleges he authorised payments to solicitors McCann Fitzgerald, accounting firm Grant Thornton and accountants Beechwood Partners for work carried out for his company, Quantum Investment Strategies, or for himself. Evidence shows that a former BOI business assurance head, Schira Donnelly, testified that Mullin suggested his PA may have "swept" an invoice into a bundle of paperwork. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with the prosecution presenting bank records, invoices and internal emails to support the allegations. Mullin has pleaded not guilty to each count. The case remains in court.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Bank of Ireland senior executive and ex‑Ireland rugby international, is ongoing. Mullin, aged 60, denies 15 charges of theft, deception and false accounting alleged to have occurred between July 2011 and March 2013. Prosecutors claim he authorised payments to solicitors and accounting firms for work by his company Quantum Investment Strategies or for himself, and that he stole €500,000 from the bank during a miscommunication about a payout to life‑assurance customers. They also allege he authorised a payment of €500,000 to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, and that the money was later repaid to the bank in July 2015. Mullin pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 and eight other counts totalling about €73,000, plus one count of deception and five counts of false accounting. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial continues.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Ireland rugby international and former managing director of Bank of Ireland Private Bank, began in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mullin, aged 60, denies all 15 charges, which cover alleged theft, deception and false accounting between July 2011 and March 2013. He is accused of stealing €500,000 from the bank on 16 December 2011, along with eight other theft counts involving various sums, and of false accounting and deception. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn outlined that the alleged thefts involved payments to McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors and Beechwood Partners, where invoices were altered to be paid by the bank instead of Mullin or his companies. A further three theft charges relate to invoices from Grant Thornton for work by Mullin's company Quantum. The prosecution also alleges a €500,000 transfer to Spice Holdings, a British Virgin Islands entity, which was later repaid through Quantum.
The jury for Brendan Mullin's trial, where he faces 15 charges including stealing over €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank and related deception and false invoicing claims, was discharged after a juror disclosed a familial connection to Mullin. Mullin, 60, has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case until a new jury is empanelled tomorrow morning. The trial was scheduled to open in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the day of the discharge.
A former solicitor, Herbert Kilcline, 62, and two other men, Matthew Murphy, 52, and Philip Marley, 53, are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged fraudulent procurement of two Dublin City properties. Kilcline pleaded not guilty to eight counts, including failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Murphy pleaded not guilty to four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018. Marley pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including procuring the registration of a false deed, fraudulent procurement of an entry into the land registry and theft. The charges relate to a building on Phibsborough Road and a second property on St Mary's Road. The trial, opened before Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain, is expected to last five weeks.
A former Irish rugby international, Brendan Mullin, aged 60, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 October 2024. He pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including one count of stealing €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank on 16 December 2011 and eight other counts of theft of various amounts between July 2011 and March 2013. Mullin also pleaded not guilty to one count of deception and five counts of furnishing false or misleading information to the bank to authorise payment of invoices. The alleged offences all took place at the bank's Mespil Road premises. Judge Patricia Ryan empanelled the jury, instructing that no one connected with the bank should serve and warning against independent investigations. The trial, to be presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, is scheduled to last four to five weeks, with the jury being sent home until Friday at the earliest to allow other matters to be dealt with.
Paul Beggs, 49, of Brookfield Park, Rush, was found guilty of four counts of theft after diverting €26,785.53 from Eventhouse's bank account to his own. He admitted the fraud, citing a gambling addiction, and accepted responsibility. Beggs has paid €1,000 in 2020 and raised an additional €10,000, but the total restitution remains incomplete. He has no further theft convictions and has not been involved with Gardaí since the incident. Beggs has expressed remorse, is drug‑free, attends Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous, and has re‑entered employment after a period of unemployment. The court, acknowledging his early plea and low re‑offending risk, imposed a suspended sentence of two years and three months, with the full term suspended. He must repay the remaining amount within the next week. The case was heard by Judge Dara Hayes in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Callaghan, aged 33, was sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison for assisting an organised crime group involved in international money laundering and drug trafficking between 29 April 2021 and 4 February 2022. The sentence was reduced to 8.5 years with the final five years suspended. The court heard that Gardaí discovered an electronic ledger showing over €924,000 moved between June 2021 and January 2022, and that Callaghan communicated with a driver via the Signal app about money laundering, drug trafficking and operational details. Evidence included photos, videos, and instructions for handling drugs and cash. Callaghan pleaded guilty, exercised his right to silence during the interview, and later expressed regret, promising to avoid future criminal activity and to protect his children. The judge cited mitigating factors, including the tragic deaths of three of Callaghan's siblings, when suspending part of the sentence.
A French national, Yanis Soudani, aged 21, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a smishing offence that involved the theft of luxury items worth over €52,000 from high‑end shops in Dublin city centre. The crime was carried out over five dates in January, using three victims' credit card details obtained through fraudulent text messages. The stolen goods included Cartier watches, a Dior shirt and trousers, a Louis Vuitton keepall, and a Gucci top, among other items. Garda David Dunne explained that the victims had received smishing messages asking for financial details, leading to withdrawals of more than €70,000 from one account and smaller amounts from the others. Soudani was arrested on January 22 after Brown Thomas staff recognised him on CCTV. He pleaded guilty, cooperated with investigators, and has no prior convictions.
Diego Dos Santos Carvalho, 33, of Goldsmith Street, Phibsborough, Dublin, was sentenced to six years in prison for drug offences and a concurrent four‑year term for money laundering. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €80,165 worth of cannabis and €341,000 in cash, which he admitted were proceeds of crime. The cash was found in a shoebox behind a kickboard under a wardrobe in a small bedroom that served as an office in his apartment, while a smaller amount of cannabis, €3,933, was found in his vehicle. Judge Elva Duffy noted that the drug dealing was carried out in the family home in the presence of his very young children and that Carvalho had cooperated with Gardaí, showing officers where the drugs and money were hidden. He had no prior convictions and had been working in Ireland for ten years since arriving from Brazil.
In a High Court ruling on 25 July 2024, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy ordered James Buckley and his wife Paula to pay Caroline Teltsch €800,000 in damages for alleged unjust enrichment. Teltsch, owner of the Emerald Equestrian Centre in Enfield, Co Kildare, claimed she advanced loans to the Buckleys between 2010 and 2018 for purposes such as refurbishing the centre, buying a Jaguar XKR, a Mitsubishi Evo, paying tax and Revenue bills, medical expenses, legal costs, a house deposit, and flights to New York for the couple's wedding. She said she never received any repayment and that the Buckleys used the money for personal and business expenses. Teltsch also sought declarations that land near the centre was held in trust for her and that she was entitled to a stallion named Louis. The Buckleys denied the claims but failed to comply with a court order to disclose documents, leading to their defence being struck out.
Caroline Teltsch, former owner of an equestrian centre linked to the John Gilligan family, has brought a High Court claim against James and Paula Buckley of Co. Carlow, seeking over €1 million in damages for alleged loan fraud. Teltsch says she advanced multiple loans between 2010 and 2018 to the Buckleys for purposes such as refurbishing the Emerald Equestrian Centre, paying tax bills, purchasing luxury cars, and covering various personal expenses. She claims the Buckleys never repaid any of the money and that they enriched themselves through deceit, confidence trickery and financial exploitation. Teltsch also seeks declarations that land near the centre is held in trust for her and that she is entitled to possession of a stallion named Louis. The Buckleys denied all allegations, were absent from the hearing, and their defence was struck out for failing to comply with a disclosure order. Mr Justice Liam Kennedy will deliver a judgment later this month.
Magno Da Silva, 33, pleaded guilty to possessing €99,975 as proceeds of crime in his AIB account. He had previously received a suspended sentence for laundering €10,000 in a 2023 investment fraud. The court heard that the €100,000 came from a fake treasury bond scam in which the victim transferred the money to Da Silva's account after receiving a digital copy of a purported bond. Da Silva claimed the money was "clean" and intended to pay tax. Two weeks later he bought a second‑hand Mercedes for €22,900 and a Toyota for €22,400, and gave the remainder to his wife. The court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with the final nine months suspended, ordered the sale of the two cars, and directed the proceeds to the victim. The victim's loss was €79,604. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a High Court order, X was directed to give live‑streaming service Vinivia AG and its executives Steffan Graff and Marcello Genovese details of the owners of four X accounts alleged to run a malicious smear campaign. The court found that the accounts had posted defamatory statements about the plaintiffs, including claims of fraud, financial misconduct, and criminal behaviour, and that the posts breached the plaintiffs' GDPR rights. The plaintiffs, represented by Peter Shanley BL, said the posts caused significant reputational damage and harmed the company's business prospects. They sought a Norwich Pharmacal Order to obtain the identities of the account holders. X's Ireland subsidiary, Twitter International Unlimited Company, agreed neither to object nor to consent to the disclosure orders, and the plaintiffs agreed to pay the respondent's legal costs. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey noted the speed of the proceedings.
Nathan Roche, 28, admitted to gardaí that he had supplied his bank details to a person who claimed it was a tax‑back scheme, and that he was not the "brightest star" in the operation. He pleaded guilty to possessing €1,550 as proceeds of crime in June 2021. The court heard that Roche's account was used to move €1,550 into his account, a figure among the lowest in the investigation. Between January 2020 and September 2021, 308 electronic payments were made from Trinity College's hardship fund to accounts of people who had never attended the university. A staff member at Trinity was involved in the theft of a large amount of the money. Roche's defence lawyer, Kevin Roche BL, said his client had no connection to the person who stole the money. The case was adjourned to the end of July, with the judge asking for more information from the defence.
Switzerland-based Vinivia AG, CEO Steffan Graff, and CFO Marcello Genovese appeared before the High Court to seek a Norwich Pharmacal Order against Twitter International. The applicants alleged that four X accounts were targeting them with a malicious smear campaign, posting statements they claimed were defamatory, false, and in breach of GDPR rights. Counsel stated the posts accused the plaintiffs of fraud, money laundering, and other misconduct, causing significant reputational damage and an estimated €4m loss in investment. The court heard that American influencer Charli D'Amelio had cancelled her Live Streams on the app due to the negative posts. Mr Justice Oisin Quinn heard the application on an ex-parte basis. He granted the plaintiffs permission to serve notice of their application on Twitter International, directing the company to provide details identifying the holders of the four accounts. The judge described the allegations against the plaintiffs as serious and made the matter returnable to a date later this month. The applicants also sought orders for the removal of the posts and suspension of the accounts.