Judge fines woman deported from US by ICE over thefts in Cork

ICE had confiscated her $20,000 of savings, left her with $200 and deported her from Los Angeles to Cork to face two old shoplifting charges

Ciocolata Munteanu brought €380 compensation to court a fortnight ago, and pleaded guilty to the two theft charges. Picture: Larry Cummins

In the beginning, ICE — the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement — confiscated a woman’s $20,000 of savings, left her with $200 and deported her from Los Angeles to Cork to face two old shoplifting charges and, in the end, her losses got a little worse as two €100 fines were imposed on her on Thursday.

However, it was a circuitous route to the end of the drama for Ciocolata Munteanu as Judge Mary Dorgan refused to finalise the case on one occasion because the 25-year-old was chewing gum and smiling while her solicitor was addressing Cork District Court on her behalf. She also could not understand why her case was not finalised on her next court appearance after that.