“High level” criminal jailed for six and a half years

By Fiona Ferguson

A man with high level links to a criminal organisation who was involved in fraud, money laundering and social welfare theft has been jailed for six and a half years.

Oluwasegun Azeez (31), who answered to a man in Ghana he called “Boss,” recruited others to be money mules, opened bank accounts for money laundering and fraudulently obtained a jeep.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Azeez directed others to move money around, sent them false documents to take out loans and sent money back to the criminal organisation.

Azeez of Marrow House, Baldoyle, Dublin, pleaded guilty to participating in and/or contributing to criminal activity with a criminal organisation, deception, social welfare fraud and money laundering on dates between 2020 and 2022. He has no previous convictions.

Passing sentence last Friday (28th), Judge Martin Nolan said there was a considerable amount of criminal wrongdoing involved and Azeez had been tracked down through good police work.

Judge Nolan said set a headline sentence of 11 years but noted the mitigation in the case was good.

The judge imposed a sentence of six and half years.

Garda Emer Tomkins told David Perry BL, prosecuting, that gardai were investigating Azeez in relation to social welfare fraud involving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) when other fraudulent activity came to light.

Gardai discovered that the details of staff at a certain business had been used to fraudulently claim €49,500 in PUP payments into 21 bank accounts, over half of which were associated with Azeez and the remainder belonging to “money mules.”

Gardai searched Azeez’s home and analysis of his devices revealed further offences in relation to business email compromise fraud in which fake emails were sent to various companies asking them to change the bank account in which a staff members salary was paid into an account linked to Azeez.

Gardai also uncovered Azeez’s links to fraudulent loan applications and uncovered text messages he sent to others with instructions on applying for loans and the fraudulent details to be used.

The investigation was able to see directions he gave to others via text messages telling them where to move money from the frauds. Gardai also recovered fraudulent documentation and found evidence that Azeez had used funds to purchase a suit from Louis Copeland.

Azeez also fraudulently entered into a hire purchase agreement in relation to a Audi Q 3 jeep.

Further analysis of his phone and laptop revealed links to an international criminal organisation.

A video was found of him in room with three others while one of them made an unsuccessful “phishing” call attempting to gain access to an unsuspecting bank customer’s account.

His text messages revealed him to be actively trying to recruit others to make such phone calls and supplying a script for the scam which he urges them to practice before making calls.

He also attempted to recruit others to launder money and open bank accounts.

Azeez sent false documentation to others to open accounts and directed them to move money.

Det Sgt Tomkins said gardai believe Azeez is linked to an international criminal organisation which engaged in worldwide business email compromise fraud, identity theft, money laundering, “smishing” and “phishing.” The group is believed to be based in Ghana.

He is ranked as at “level 4” in this organisation, with level 5 being the overall director, the court heard.

Azeez was arrested and interviewed but nothing of evidential value come from the interview.

Det Sgt Tomkins agreed with James Dwyer SC, defending, that Azeez was communicating with someone in Ghana he referred to as “Boss” who was issuing instructions to him.

Mr Dwyer said Azeez grew up in Tallaght and his family spent some time homeless when he was a teenager.

He has a number of degrees, a good work history and does not smoke or drink.

He was studying at the time of the offending and it presented itself as an easy way out of financial difficulties, as “easy money.”

Counsel said his client went down that path for a period of 21 months.

He handed in a letter of apology from his client in which he outlined he was genuinely sorry and ashamed of the choices he made.

He said he had reflected and was committed to making changes.

Counsel also handed in letters from his wife, his mother and a former employer.

Mr Dwyer asked the court to have regard to his early guilty plea, which was of value in what could have been a long and complex trial.

He said his client was placed at high level by gardai but noted he was using his own accounts and was going to be caught, as well as taking instructions from others in a different country.

Counsel said he had potential to return to pro-social living and had become involved in this significant scheme of deception to feed a young family.