Childcare worker to do community service for role in moneylaundering

By Claire Henry

A Dublin childcare worker who allowed her bank account to be used to launder over €24,000 stolen from someone’s bank account has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

Chelsea Dooley (23) of Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of the proceeds of criminal crime.

She has no previous convictions.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardaí were contacted on January 5, 2021, when a man said that money had been taken from his AIB account.

From December 21, 2020 until January 4, 2021, a total of nine transactions were taken from the account, with a total value of €24,900.

The court heard that the owner of the bank account had interacted with a fraudulent text message,  a fraud known as “smishing”.

The €24,900 was directed to two different bank accounts, with one account receiving only one euro and Dooley’s bank account receiving the remaining €23.899.

Simon Mathews, BL, prosecuting, told the court that the AIB fraud team made the gardaí aware of the “smishing” activity.

A court order was requested, and the bank details for the account where the €23,899 was transferred  were obtained.

This account was registered to Dooley, who had opened the account when she was a child.

Dooley was arrested and interviewed. At one stage during her interview, Dooley said she had lost her bank card.

CCTV footage was shown to her of an unknown male using her bank card to withdraw money at an ATM, which she could not explain.

Olan Callanan BL, defending, said other parties took the money from Dooley’s account and that she has not come to any adverse garda attention since this offence.

He also said that Dooley had not profited from the scheme in any way and just allowed her bank account to be used for no financial gain.

Dooley has now progressed from a childcare assistant to the deputy manager of a childcare centre and is involved in further education.

Counsel said Dooley was a young lady who made a foolish and criminal mistake, and she realises that she has made a fundamental mistake.

A letter from Dooley’s mother and employer was handed into court.

He asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty plea, her naivety and tobe as lenient as possible.

Judge Martina Baxter said Dooley had shown “ample remorse and contrition” for her actions, and she noted Doolety received no financial gain from allowing her bank account to be used.

The judge took into account a number of mitigating factors, including the fact that Dooley has a good employment history and is furthering her education.

Judge Baxter handed down a 12 month sentence and suspended it in lieu of Dooley carrying out 200 hours of community service.