'Money mule' avoids jail for allowing gang to divert €91k to his bank account in Cork

The court heard that the €91,000 was an invoice redirection scam

Wed, 17 May, 2023 - 10:00

Liam Heylin

A 19-year-old “money mule” who had €91,000 diverted to his bank account in Cork and withdrew €65,000 of it in the course of the next three days for organisers of the scam has been given a two-year suspended jail term.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed the two-year jail term on Kenoly Ugbodu and agreed to fully suspend it at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Garda Seán Sheehan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau testified that the accused made 30 withdrawals through currency exchange bureaus in Dublin over a period of 72 hours, totalling €65,000. A further €10,000 was spent in making purchases at mobile phone stores.

Tom Power, defending, said the accused was under the direction of members of a criminal gang at the time although he was not a member of this gang. From limited resources the teenager brought a total of €2,000 compensation to court.

Mr Power said the balance of €16,000 was recalled by Bank of Ireland for the true owner of the cash “when the bank realised something was going on”.

Kenoly Ugbodu pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of money-laundering by having €91,000 cash in his account back in September 2017.

Det Garda Sheehan explained that the €91,000 was an invoice redirection scam whereby a company due to receive a substantial payment from another company has their bank account details altered so that it is sent to an account belonging to someone not entitled to receive any money.

The teenager was arrested and interviewed and he made full admissions. He said he was approached through Snapchat and asked for his account to be used in exchange for a small payment.

Mr Power suggested that the accused was not a member of the gang that organised the crime. “He has expressed shame and regret at being involved in this matter. He was young and naïve,” Mr Power said.