By Claire Henry
A man who purchased luxury items, including a Rolex watch, using laundered money worth €51,000 has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dragos Cirstea (38), formerly of South Street, New Ross, Wexford, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering offences at various locations in Dublin on June 3, 2019. He has four previous convictions from the UK.
Passing sentence last Friday (19th), Judge Martin Nolan said this man was involved in the theft of property and used a bank card to purchase high-end items.
Judge Nolan said, “This man knew what he was doing was wrong”, and he had a relevant conviction history.
He said he has a good work history and is “well capable of changing his life”.
The judge said the mitigation in this case were his guilty plea and that Cirstea did not seem to be a “well-off person”.
However, he said this man “was a vital link in this criminal enterprise”.
He also highlighted that Adare Manor sustained the loss in this case.
Judge Nolan said the appropriate sentence is two and a half years in prison, and directed he receive credit for time served in custody for this matter.
Detective Garda Darren Lyons told John Berry, BL, prosecuting, that a Belgium Vintage Automobile Club planned to travel to Ireland and stay in Adare Manor.
The club received an invoice, which they believed was from the hotel, for just over €55,000, which they paid.
Det Gda Lyons said the €55,000 was lodged into a bank account which had been set up two weeks before this.
The court heard Cirstea did not set up this bank account, and did not send the email that contained the fraudulent invoice.
The court heard that Cirstea’s participation in the offending occurred when he was given a bank card and went to Brown Thomas, Arnotts, and Weir and Sons in Dublin and spent a total of €51,044 on luxury items.
He spent a total of just over €44,000 in Weirs and Sons on jewellery and two watches, one of which was a Rolex.
The court heard the Belgium Vintage Automobile Club became aware that the money they had paid did not go to Adare Manor, and an investigation was launched.
Purchases using a bank card linked to the fraudulent bank account were traced.
The accused was identified, and gardai discovered that there was an active EU arrest warrant from the United Kingdom for him.
Cirstea was arrested at Dublin Airport in December 2019 and was extradited to the United Kingdom for a similar offence.
He was later returned to Ireland on foot of an EU arrest warrant issued by Irish authorities. The court heard that none of the luxury items were recovered.
The court heard that Adare Manner decided to take the loss and accommodated the Belgium Vintage Automobile Club at their hotel.
Det Gda Lyons agreed with Oisin Clarke, BL, defending, that his client’s role in the offending was to go and carry out the purchases, and he didn’t benefit from the scheme.
The garda agreed with counsel that Cirstea had no trapping of wealth and was cooperative with the gardai.
Mr Clarke said his client had previously worked in the UK and Italy and came to Ireland to seek work but could not find any.
He was approached by an individual and carried out the purchases.
Counsel said his client, who is in custody on this matter, is now an enhanced prisoner.