High Court hears details of Irish connection to sophisticated international money laundering scheme
Over €200,000 held in bank accounts opened by a person using an alias and who registered a company that purported to sell luxury yachts are the proceeds of crime, the High Court has ruled.
The Criminal Assets Bureau, which in 2016 obtained orders freezing the monies, said the money was lodged in accounts used in an international money laundering scheme.
Deming the monies in the accounts as the proceeds of crime Ms Justice Carmel Stewart noted the complexity and sophistication of the money laundering scheme
CAB, represented by David Dodd Bl, said the bank accounts were opened by a person using the alias 'Darren H Barnett' with personal details acquired through 'identity theft.'
From its investigations CAB discovered that in 2010 'Barnett' fraudulently obtained the UK passport number attributed to another person.
That number was used to obtain a PPS number in this jurisdiction.
Using the PPS number 'Barnett', in 2012, opened several accounts with various banks in Dublin.
In a sworn statement CAB said monies from various international locations were lodged to the Dublin based bank accounts.
These included a lodgement of US$269,000 into one of the accounts from a Dubai based entity.
The transaction was listed as being "frozen Atlantic Salmon".
Gardai had made a request for mutual assistance from the authorities in the United Arab Emirates about the company that lodged that money.
No response has been received, the sworn statement added.
When opening the accounts the court heard Barnett gave a false home address in Dublin 22.
The court also heard that 'Barnett' also registered a company with the CRO called Harglena Global.
Its business was listed as being the sale of vehicles and yachts, including luxury yachts.
There was also an attempt to register the firm with Revenue for tax and VAT purposes.
The CAB said that there was "no evidence" that the company was a legitimate business.
Harglena Global had operated a website between 2012 and 2016, which has since been taken down.
An address in Blanchardstown in Dublin was given as Harglena's registered address.
The CAB established that the business address belonged to another unrelated company.
The CAB was also satisfied that the persons living at the location 'Barnett' cited as being his home address when opening the bank accounts had no connection with that person and knew nothing about him.
At the High Court, counsel said all efforts have been made by CAB to serve documents on 'Barnett', in relation to the freezing orders but the bureau was unable to trace the person using the alias.
Counsel said Barnett had instructed a firm of solicitors when the freezing orders were made.
However, that firm informed the bureau that it no longer represented him.
In her ruling, Ms Justice Stewart said she was satisfied, based on evidence put before the Court by CAB officers that the cash was the proceeds of crime.
In all the circumstances the Judge said she was satisfied to make an order in respect of the monies under Section 3 of the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act.
