Manhunt underway for rogue solicitor Lynn

AN international manhunt for rogue solicitor, Michael Lynn, is well underway after he again failed to comply with an order to appear before the High Court in Dublin yesterday.

However, Gardaí admitted last night that they have no powers to bring the disgraced lawyer and property developer back to Ireland even if his whereabouts become known.

The Irish Examiner has learned that gardaí have contacted the London Metropolitan Police in a bid to establish if Lynn is in London. A photograph and description of the 39-year-old solicitor has also been circulated to customs officials at all airports and ports.

Lynn’s last reported location was in the British capital last Tuesday where he was meant to be meeting a firm of London lawyers to represent him in the current proceedings.

Gardaí cannot take any action against Lynn until he returns to Ireland at which point he faces arrest and being taken into custody. However, they will be unable to seek a European arrest warrant against the solicitor until criminal proceedings are formally issued against him.

It is understood that the investigation being carried out by the National Bureau of Fraud Investigation is still at a very early stage.

Gardaí believe that it will take several months before the NBFI will be in a position to decide on whether a file on Lynn should be sent to the DPP as detectives have to analyse a large volume of documentation relating to his extensive property dealings.

His property portfolio includes 107 houses, holiday homes and apartments in Ireland as well as a further 41 properties in Portugal, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, England, China, Dubai, Spain and the US.

“Every effort will be made to establish his whereabouts and if it’s known he is in a certain place, we will try and make contact with him,” said a garda source.

Last night, a garda spokesperson confirmed that they had begun conducting inquiries to establish Lynn’s whereabouts to enable gardaí to comply with the High Court order.

It is believed that financial institutions which are owed up to €80m may also seek to hire private investigators to trace the fugitive solicitor.

Lynn’s mobile phone is no longer operational and it is uncertain if he is still in contact with his wife, Brid Murphy who returned from London last Monday.

Irish Life & Permanent revealed yesterday that it has provided for a loss of €11m as a result of loans advanced to Lynn. In a trading statement, the banking group said Permanent TSB had, along with many other Irish banks, been affected “by the actions of a rogue solicitor”.

Meanwhile, it is understood that representatives of several banks and building societies which advanced multi-million euro loans to Lynn met last night.

Banking sources said they are trying to reach an agreed approach to the dispersal of any funds which may be realised from any future sale of the solicitor’s properties.

Such an approach is believed to be quicker and less costly than having a court officer appointed to oversee the disposal of Lynn’s assets which are estimated to be worth €52.5m.

An investigation by the Law Society uncovered that Lynn had raised millions of euro in loans by obtaining multiple mortgages on the same properties.

The solicitor was able to by-pass the usual checks on loan applicants by financial institutions due to the special role played by solicitors in property transactions. Using undertakings, solicitors are able to borrow money without immediately registering a bank’s loan charge against a property.

British legal firm, Merriman White again refused yesterday to confirm or deny if it representing Lynn.

The High Court heard earlier this week that the solicitor had attended a meeting with Merriman White lawyers in their offices in London on Monday.

Lynn’s wife informed the High Court through her legal representatives that she last saw her husband in London on Monday evening before she flew back home to Dublin. She may also be asked to assist gardaí in trying to locate her missing husband.

Yesterday, the Law Society informed the High Court that it will begin proceedings to strike off Lynn from the register of solicitors once his professional insurance cover expires at the end of December.

It is understood the Law Society deferred the proposed striking-off of the solicitor as any suspension would have implications for his €11m insurance cover.

Adjourning the case until January 14, the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Richard Johnson, said the Law Society’s investigation of Lynn’s affairs should be dealt with speedily so as “to allay public anxiety”.