Anglo Irish Bank HQ raided in crimes probe
Fraud squad officers and white-collar crime investigators raided the headquarters of the Anglo Irish Bank today.
Gardaí are understood to be searching the St Stephen’s Green offices in central Dublin for books, documents and other materials which could provide evidence of any offences under company law.
Anglo Irish Bank was nationalised last month after the share price plummeted amid a wave of controversies, including a loans-for-shares scandal, revelations about secret loans to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick and a multi-billion-euro deposit from an apparent rival bank to boost its books.
Up to 20 officers working under the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement were acting on a search warrant issued yesterday by a judge in the Dublin District Court.
Investigators are examining if any crimes were committed by the bank under Section 20 of the Companies Act.
The raid followed remarks by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday in which he accused those involved in wrongdoing at the bank of engaging in “economic treason”.
Mr Dempsey said he and his Cabinet colleagues wanted to see the people responsible “pay a price”.
The raid began at 9.30am.
