Gilligan accuses CAB of money laundering
In his cross-examination of CAB’s legal officer Frank Cassidy, Gilligan claimed the practice of taking tax that is theproceeds of crime was, in effect, money laundering by CAB. But Mr Cassidy replied that money laundering was about hiding, converting and disguising it from legitimate authorities.
“Taking it and giving it to the Minister for Finance is not in any way disguising it, it is acknowledging it is the proceeds of crime,” said Mr Cassidy.
Gilligan, who has discharged his legal team and is representing himself, claimed he was served with a tax bill, estimated by Mr Cassidy to be €2.5m, while in prison in Belmarsh in England.
He claimed he knew of 25 individuals whom he believed had been told “give us a few quid and they [CAB] will go away”.
The exchanges came on the third day of a High Court hearing of an application by CAB to have Mr Cassidy appointed as a receiver to maintain and rent out properties owned by the Gilligan family. CAB believes that unless a receiver is appointed, the properties, including the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre on the Meath/Kildare border in Enfield, could lose value or be subjected to unrecoverable damage or destruction costs because they are not insured.
Along with Jessbrook, which is owned by Gilligan’s wife Geraldine, CAB claims that two houses in Lucan and another in Blanchardstown, owned between Gilligan and his children, are not well maintained and also uninsured. Ms Gilligan, who has lived in Jessbrook since 1994, said she believed funding for the properties had come from her husband’s gambling money. She also claimed she had come up against “a brick wall” in trying to get insurance for Jessbrook due to legal proceedings.
Gilligan has complained he and his family were never given a hearing in the original court application to seize their property. The case continues.
