Aoife Quinn 'has no bank records'
A daughter of ex-billionaire Sean Quinn has no records of four bank accounts she opened a year ago in Dubai, a court has heard.
Aoife Quinn is being cross-examined about the family’s international property empire, in a case taken by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC).
Lawyers for the former Anglo Irish Bank are cross-examining the Quinns over sworn statements they gave regarding assets and accounts in their names after freezing orders were imposed by the court last July.
Ms Quinn, being questioned by Paul Gallagher SC, barrister for IBRC, said she opened four “savings” accounts in Dubai in late 2011 or early 2012.
But she told the Commercial Court in Dublin she no longer had any documentation or statements in relation to the accounts, although she would have had at one stage.
Ms Quinn said she had handed all important and relevant bank documents she had in her possession to the family’s former solicitors Eversheds, and had no copies.
Ms Quinn, who studied law after graduating from IT Tralee with a bachelor of science, agreed she had opened the accounts since the alleged conspiracy proceedings were taken against Sean Quinn’s five children and their spouses.
She said she no longer had documents about a recently-opened Irish Nationwide bank account and an account she had at the Ulster Bank since a child “back in the Henry the Hippo days”.
Ms Quinn said she believed she had handed over all documents she believed were relevant to the case but agreed she may have deleted emails of “substance and importance” while clearing out her inbox.
She deleted trivial emails and emails with large attachments every three, four or five months because of capacity restrictions on her Hotmail account, she told the court.
“It’s quite haphazard,” she said.
Ms Quinn said she was paid a salary in the region of 320,000 US dollars or euro - she wasn't sure - into a Russian bank account for her employment at three Russia-based companies.
She had never received any statements from the bank, only text messages advising her of any transactions, she told the court.
Asked if she was not suspicious about this, she replied: “I wasn’t suspicious. I actually thought it was convenient. I’m not trying to be smart or cheeky.”
Although she had kept the text messages on her mobile phone, it was stolen when her car was broken into, an incident for which people were charged and convicted, she said.
Ms Quinn said her family were having difficulties getting bank statements for the Russian account, and her brother Sean was intending to travel to Moscow to get the records.
While she had signed employment contracts for the three companies, she said she did not understand them – as they were in Russian – and did not keep any copies but returned the originals to the firms.
She was not told at the time of the contract signing about her salary and first learned what she was being paid when she got a text message from the bank, she told the court.
Judge Kelly said documents before the court showed Ms Quinn was in fact paid a salary equivalent to €379,000 from the three companies – Red Sector, Logistica and Finanstroy.
Although it was shown she had paid 30% tax on the earnings to Russian authorities, Ms Quinn said she had never filled out any tax returns for the income.
“My understanding is it was deducted at source, the company was responsible,” she said.
Eight members of the Quinn clan, including Sean Quinn jnr and his wife Karen Woods, are to be questioned before Judge Peter Kelly over two days.
Ms Quinn said she was paid a salary in the region of 320,000 US dollars or euro - she wasn't sure - into a Russian bank account for her employment at three Russia-based companies.
She had never received any statements from the bank, only text messages advising her of any transactions, she told the court.
Asked if she was not suspicious about this, she replied: “I wasn’t suspicious. I actually thought it was convenient. I’m not trying to be smart or cheeky.”
Although she had kept the text messages on her mobile phone, it was stolen when her car was broken into, an incident for which people were charged and convicted, she said.
Ms Quinn said her family were having difficulties getting bank statements for the Russian account, and her brother Sean was intending to travel to Moscow to get the records.
While she had signed employment contracts for the three companies, she said she did not understand them – as they were in Russian – and did not keep any copies but returned the originals to the firms.
She was not told at the time of the contract signing about her salary and first learned what she was being paid when she got a text message from the bank, she told the court.
Judge Kelly said documents before the court showed Ms Quinn was in fact paid a salary equivalent to €379,000 from the three companies – Red Sector, Logistica and Finanstroy.
Although it was shown she had paid 30% tax on the earnings to Russian authorities, Ms Quinn said she had never filled out any tax returns for the income.
“My understanding is it was deducted at source, the company was responsible,” she said.
