International intrigue as gardaí hunt stolen money

ONE of the most intriguing elements of the investigation into the Northern Bank robbery and subsequent money-laundering operation was the theory that the masterminds behind it planned to buy a bank in Bulgaria to convert the hot cash into legal tender.

Attention swiftly turned to a property speculating trip taken by a group of assorted Irish business people to Bulgaria in the last week of January 2005.

Among the group were Cork financier Ted Cunningham and businessman and Government industrial relations consultant Phil Flynn, a former vice-president of Sinn Féin.