'Typical money mule' avoids jail for part in E-flow text scam that robbed €9k from Cork woman

Darragh Sutcliffe was promised €400 to allow scammers to use his account, but never received payment. The court noted that students often do not receive the promised reward

Darragh Sutcliffe (pictured), who was about to sit the Leaving Certificate at the time, had his sentencing adjourned until Wednesday after he pledged to speak at local schools about the dangers of online fraud, repay some of the money that had not been recovered, and donate €5,000 to charity. Picture: IrishPhotoDesk.ie

A student who allowed scammers to use his account and shift more than €9,000 belonging to a Cork woman who fell victim to an "E-flow text scam", has avoided jail and a recorded conviction.

"Typical money mule", Darragh Sutcliffe, aged 21, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court in September to money laundering connected to an E-flow text message scam.

Sutcliffe, who was about to sit the Leaving Certificate at the time, had his sentencing adjourned until Wednesday after he pledged to speak at local schools about the dangers of online fraud, repay some of the money that had not been recovered, and donate €5,000 to charity.

Sutcliffe, of Wainsfort Park, Terenure, Dublin, was planning to sit accountancy exams and was promised €400 in a message from a third party on Snapchat, but never received payment and was prosecuted for possessing crime proceeds and giving a false statement to gardaí.

Judge Gerard Jones heard that €16,350, proceeds of a smishing or phishing scam, was lodged into his account in four fraudulent transactions between May 23 and May 25, 2023. 

The court heard the funds came from three people's accounts. Some €3,500 was withdrawn from various ATMs in the Lucan area in Dublin until Sutcliffe's account was frozen.

It came to light when a transfer was made from a Cork woman who inadvertently responded to a scam text message. She later discovered that €9,350 was moved from her account without her permission. Another transfer of €2,000 came from a Killarney resident's account. 

After Sutcliffe's account was identified, he went to Terenure garda station on June 29, 2023. Garda Gavin Kelly believed Sutcliffe was a typical "non-complicit money mule" and not involved in the smishing aspect of the scam.

He allowed his account to be used on the promise of a financial gain, which he never received. The court noted that students often do not receive the promised reward.

After his bank contacted him, he went to the gardaí to make a false report to distance himself from the money laundering. The banks reimbursed the three people, but AIB had not recouped the amount withdrawn.

Final ruling

Defence solicitor, Damien Coffey, furnished a letter from him showing his contrition. Pleading for leniency, Mr Coffey emphasised that his client's family had endured embarrassment and disgust over the past two years due to his actions, yet they still stood by him and were undertaking to pay for it.

Mr Coffey submitted that there was less knowledge about these scams two years ago. The college student planned to write to every local school in his vicinity, offering to speak to pupils about the dangers of these scams. He had no prior convictions.

Judge Jones remarked that Sutcliffe was lucky that the investigating garda had been very fair to him. "Only for that, and the fact he was approached by these strangers and fell into this trap, he would have been heading to Mountjoy," Judge Jones had warned the accused.

The outstanding cash was brought to court for the September hearing, and the judge ordered him to donate €5,000 to a cancer charity as he adjourned the case.

He commended the student's parents and ordered the accused to repay them for the support they had given him. Finalising the case on Wednesday, he noted the defendant had fully complied and struck out the proceedings.