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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Houses associated with son of murdered Limerick gangster proceeds of crime, court rules
The High Court has ruled that three houses associated with the son of slain Limerick gangster Kieran Keane snr are the proceeds of crime, as are three cars and more than €100,000 frozen by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). At the High Court on Wednesday, respondents Kieran Keane jnr, who is believed to be in either Dubai or Spain, and his girlfriend Laura Flanagan, with an address in Garryowen, Co Limerick, had receivers appointed to the two houses, the cars and €101,000 in an AIB account after the court found he had no recognisable source of income and that she had been saving her social welfare for a period. Mr Keane jnr is the son of Limerick feud gangster Kieran Keane snr, who was murdered in January 2003, and the nephew of convicted drug-dealer Christy Keane. Mr Justice Alexander Owens said that an application for receivership over the Garryowen home property occupied by Ms Flanagan and her family would have to be brought by Cab at the next sitting of the case when any application for a stay could be considered. READ MORE Shelley Horan BL, for Cab, told the court that a forensic analysis of the couple's finances showed that travel expenses from the bank account used by Mr Keane jnr and Ms Flanagan showed expenses that revealed trips to Lithuania for cosmetic surgery, travel to Spain, Dubai and also to Lapland within the period of 2010 to 2019. At the High Court on Wednesday, Mr Justice Owens found that three Limerick properties that Mr Keane enjoyed the benefit of but had no title on were the proceeds of crime. Ms Horan had told the judge that 'absolutely nothing is offered for the source of funds for the seven assets subject to this case'. Ms Horan said a financial analyst at Cab estimated that one of the three Limerick properties had undergone approximately €289,000 in refurbishments which could not be accounted for. Mr Justice Owens ruled that three cars, an Audi A4 – since sold by Cab – a Skoda Octavia and a VW Amarok were also the proceeds of crime and had been in the possession of Mr Keane junior. Mr Justice Owens said that, regarding the AIB account, it appeared that they were 'living on fresh air' due to a lack of bank records for everyday regular expenditure. The judge said that if Mr Keane was in Dubai for a number of years then he must have money to pay his bills there because otherwise the respondent would be in jail. The judge said that Ms Flanagan and her children resided at the family home in Garryowen and that it would be 'clearly disruptive' to remove them from their family environment, which he had to take into consideration. Mr Justice Owens said that Mr Keane jnr had lived outside of the jurisdiction for a number of years without any apparent present intention to return but said he 'envisaged' Mr Keane jnr would do so in the future as his partner and children were living here. The judge said he was satisfied from a 'comprehensive' investigation by Cab that all three Garryowen properties were 'derived from the proceeds of crime' acquired in 'cash under the table deals'. The judge said of a separate fourth property, not involved in the High Court proceedings and since sold by the couple, that 'one cannot see where the money for that came from'. The judge said that an accounting analyst at Cab reported that property was bought as a 'shell' after being burned out and that €180,000 was spent on renovations. 'One can see from the photos it is anything but a shell. It was totally renovated and sold off,' said the judge. Mr Justice Owens said that it had been contended by Mr Keane jnr that the money in the AIB account was from, among other things, the sale of motorcars from his garage, but that the firm never made any tax returns. 'It is impossible to see any legitimate source for the working capital,' he said. Mr Justice Owens said that a lifestyle analysis carried out by Cab made it 'clear' that Mr Keane jnr did not have the money to purchase the cars. The judge said he accepted Cab officers' belief evidence on affidavit that Mr Keane jnr had allegedly associated with a number of known criminals himself and that he was an alleged 'driving force' in organised crime. 'It is likely that this criminal organisation is the source of funds used for all of these properties,' said the judge. Mr Justice Owens awarded costs solely against Mr Keane jnr and noted that neither Mr Keane jnr nor Ms Flanagan were on free legal aid.
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Victims handed over life savings to Nigerian fraudster at centre of €1.7m CAB case
Noel Patrick Ikponmwonba fled Dublin, leaving his family behind, when the fraud was discovered Ikkonmwomba left his family behind in Ireland and has a new wife in Benin City Victims of an international €1.7m email scam are tracking a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) court bid to seize cash in a frozen bank account. Charity boss Noel Patrick Ikponmwonba managed to scam the money from victims around the world while living in Ireland, according to the bureau. Details of the case were first heard in court in 2017 as CAB sought to have €40,000 and an insurance policy declared the proceeds of crime. Now the bureau has applied to the High Court for an order that will allow the assets to be disposed of, after being frozen for the last seven years. At a recent hearing, a number of victims were represented in court and requested to be put on notice of the proceedings. CAB did not object to the application and the case is listed for hearing again later this month. Charity boss is back in Nigeria It was previously heard Ikponmwonba convinced three identified victims and others to part with hundreds of thousands of euro. He had claimed he was the beneficiary of a huge inheritance but needed help to pay taxes before it could be released to him. He fled Dublin, leaving his family behind, when the fraud was discovered and was living in his native Nigeria, where he has a second wife in Benin City. During one year in Ireland while he was engaged in the fraud, he and his wife Efe claimed €49,750 from the Department of Social Protection. The couple were linked to seven bank accounts and, despite having no legitimate source of income, funds worth €1,737,000 went through them. Ikponmwonba was born in 1983 in Benin in Nigeria and moved to Ireland before 2001, when he met his wife Efe and lived for a time in Ryevale Lawns in Leixlip, Co. Kildare. Over the course of his time in Ireland, Ikponmwonba regularly lost his passport, social security cards and other items. He claimed social welfare for more than 10 years, and in 2007 he was convicted of opening a fake bank account in AIB in Crumlin, Dublin. Standing in Nigerian election News in 90 Seconds - June 17 Details of the notorious email scam were heard during the 2017 High Court hearing, showing how fraudsters trick people into parting with their life savings. 'While most people ignore and delete such emails, some will send funds,' said counsel for CAB. In one fraud, Ikponmwonba posed as 'Lucy Morgan', a fictitious Irish woman who claimed to have been left millions by a relative. In unsolicited email exchanges, 'she' convinced a Californian man, named in court as Eric Johnson, to part with €463,000 for tax clearance certificates. The High Court heard that Mr Johnson believed that Ms Morgan was going to move to the US to live with him once she had freed up her legacy with the help of his funds. He had the money as the result of a large inheritance he himself had received, but when he realised he had been swindled he made a complaint to police. A Dutch citizen, Johannes Klaas, fell for a similar tale when he transferred Stg£418,000 to accounts in Ireland. He even flew to Dublin and was shown boxes of cash in a vault, the High Court was told. Klaas communicated with a 'Paul John Boylan' who had claimed he was due a €8.3m windfall after a close relative had died. The money was transferred through a series of accounts in Ireland and as far afield as China. UK national Susan Locke was the third victim named. She also transferred over Stg£400,000 to Ikonmwonba after falling for the email tale. After complaints were received in the US, the Netherlands and the UK, gardaí were contacted and began their own inquiries in this jurisdiction. In 2011 Ikponmwonba, who also goes by the name Noel Osareniye Patrick, was charged before the courts on 12 counts of theft. When he failed to appear a bench warrant was issued for his arrest a year later. Gardaí believe the charity boss and former businessman, who lived in Leixlip with his wife and children, settled down to a life in Benin City. Lawyers for CAB told the court that the 'Laveri Charity' had been directly linked to the Nigerian, which claims to donate funds to orphanages in Africa. Company documents here show that Efe and Noel Patrick registered the business name 'Laveri Enterprises' with the Companies Registration Office in 2008 and listed it as a hair and beauty salon operating from Leixlip. The couple registered the cessation of the business in 2010 – a year before he was charged with 12 counts of theft before the Irish courts. The High Court also heard that an article about Ikponmwonba and his charity work appeared in a Nigerian newspaper further linking him to the charity. Efe Patrick had agreed not to challenge the order to seize €40,000, including an insurance policy in Ireland, on the basis that she wasn't asked to pay costs, it was heard.
BreakingNews.ie
10-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Criminal Assets Bureau conducts raids targeting suspected drug trafficker in Kerry
More than 90 personnel were involved in a series of searches by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) in Co Kerry on Tuesday, resulting in the seizure of more than €200,000. The searches targeted the assets of an individual suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. Advertisement Cab officers, gardaí from the Kerry division, the Garda Armed Support Unit and the Customs Dog Unit conducted searches at residences and businesses across the county. During the operation, Cab officers seized more than €200,000 in cash, electronic devices and 'documents of evidential value', a Garda press release said. 'This investigation remains ongoing,' it said.
Irish Times
10-06-2025
- Irish Times
More than 90 personnel involved in Cab searches targeting suspected drug trafficker
More than 90 personnel were involved in a series of searches by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) in Co Kerry on Tuesday, resulting in the seizure of more than €200,000. The searches carried out on Tuesday targeted the assets of an individual suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. Cab officers, gardaí from the Kerry division, the Garda Armed Support Unit and the Customs Dog Unit conducted searches at residences and businesses across the county. During the operation, Cab officers seized more than €200,000 in cash, electronic devices and 'documents of evidential value', a Garda representative said. READ MORE 'This investigation remains ongoing,' they said.
Sunday World
07-06-2025
- Sunday World
Drug criminal who once escaped jail fights CAB bid to empty bank account
The money was declared the proceeds of crime 11 years ago in case which McInerney had contested. A notorious criminal who once escaped from prison during a hospital visit said that he can't find a solicitor to fight his case against the Criminal Assets Bureau. Charles Darren McInerney from Portlaoise appeared at the High Court where Cab have applied to have €139,156 in a frozen bank account transferred to the State. It was previously heard he had asked to brought to court from the Midlands Prison to contest the move by CAB. Arriving in court with a prison escort he told the sitting judge that his own solicitor doesn't 'do these cases.' The money, which was originally in three separate accounts, was declared the proceeds of crime 11 years ago in case which McInerney had contested. The judge at that time dismissed McInerney's claims as to how the cash was generated as being 'quite unconvincing indeed.' He had denied being involved in crime and initially insisted his only income was from social welfare during the six years CAB found €519,702 had been lodged to his and his wife Margaret's bank account. Another €15,000 in a credit union account he said had come from the sale of a car although no vehicle had been registered to his name. In second affidavit, he said money came from horse breeding and dealing in cars, but these were ruled inadmissible when he failed to appear in court. McInerney said he had been left six horses by his late grandfather when he was 15 years of age. He claimed that from his inheritance he successfully bred horses which he sold 'at various fairs around the country'. Charles Darren McInerney News in 90 Seconds - 7th June Following on from that trade he said he moved into the car trade business and the money in the accounts was income from those businesses, he claimed. The judge said evidence was given by both CAB and senior gardai that McInerney was involved in the illegal drugs trade. He had 27 previous convictions including ones for the possession of illegal drugs as well as assault and animal cruelty. Evidence was given that gardai had found cannabis, a weighing scales and a knife in McInerney's house. He was involved in the sale and supply of controlled substances and the enforcement of debts, according to CAB. There was no evidence of income from any legitimate sources and neither he nor his wife had ever been employed, it was stated. An appeal was lodged with the Supreme Court over the receivership order, but is was withdrawn in 2015 and no appeal made against the order declaring the cash to be the proceeds of crime. Darren McInerney did a runner from custody in 2018 after being brought from the high-security Portlaoise Prison to the nearby regional hospital. The Sunday World previously reported that he had been transferred to the jail from the Midlands prison after an alleged assault on a prison officer. He remained unlawfully at large for a period of time sparking a garda appeal for information. The career criminal once got a five-month suspended sentence in October, 2010, for the ill treatment of animals. He was also ordered not to have ownership of animals at that time, yet despite the order he was later spotted by gardaí on a sulky on at least five occasions including racing while he had a child sitting on his lap. The Cab case has been adjourned until later this month.
