Laois ‘Money mules’ appear at Portlaoise District Court
Portlaoise District Court
TWO cases of people acting as money mules were before Portlaoise District Court last week.
Money mules are people recruited by criminal elements who agree to launder and transfer illegally acquired money derived from online scams and frauds through their bank accounts on behalf of others.
The first case of money laundering to come before Judge Susan Fay involved €1,934.23 which was taken from a woman’s PTSB account in Portlaoise and placed in the defendant’s account - Linda Dunne (22) from 2nd House Past Brock View, Davitt Road, Mountmellick - on 8 December 2023.
Her solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said such money laundering crime was now a common occurrence and that his client, “was used a pawn to get someone else’s money into her account.” He said that Ms Dunne had been told that if she allowed her account to be used to obtain money that she would derive a small amount for doing so.
Judge Fay remanded the defendant on continuing bail to the 20 April sitting of the court and instructed her to engage with the probation services in the meantime.
The second case involved the laundering of €1,900 from the Graiguecullen branch of the Bank of Ireland on 29 November 2021.
Conor Mullen from 27 Ashgrove, Mountmellick pleaded guilty to this offence.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the victim in this scam received a text informing her that the money had been taken from her bank account. The transaction was traced, and it showed that her money had been placed in Mr Mullen’s bank account to be forwarded on to another account.
Mr Fitzgerald said his 26-year-old client had also been promised a small amount of money for allowing his account to be used.
Judge Fay also remanded Mr Mullen on continuing bail to the 20 April sitting of the court for finalisation of the case and instructed him to engage with the probation services in the meantime.
