Mother spared jail for role in money laundering

By Declan Brennan

A mother of three who laundered tens of thousands of euros stolen as part of a “family enterprise” has been spared jail.

When gardai raided the Dublin home of Margarita Maughan nee McDonald in December 2019, they found €10,292 worth of designer goods including Gucci jewellery, Ted Baker sunglasses and  Louis Vuitton bags.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that between 2013 and 2020 approximately €192,000 passed through savings accounts in McDonald’s name. There were lodgements of nearly €36,000 to an AIB account, €56,560 to an An Post account and a little over €100,000 to a credit union.

The court heard that during the period of the lodgements McDonald (35) was claiming jobseekers allowance and had no other means of income. The accounts were cleared out and none of the stolen money has been recovered.

Garda Sergeant Gary Farrell told Grainne O’Neill BL, prosecuting, that McDonald was one of seven co-accused connected to a type of planned theft called “jugging” which involved “stalking” would-be victims who are withdrawing or handling large quantities of cash.

He testified that “anti-surveillance tactics” are used and that the cash is later taken when the money is left unattended.

Two men and two women who are relatives of McDonald have being convicted of money laundering offences relating to the scheme. The court heard they were all found to be living well beyond their means.

McDonald’s separated husband, who she was in an abusive relationship with, is still being pursued by investigators, Ms O’Neill told the court.

Sgt Farrell said that the practice of jugging was in operation “throughout the country”. He said that male relatives of the defendant carry out the thefts while the female relatives carry out some of the surveillance and transport the men to and from the crimes.

Ms O’Neill said that none of the women were involved in the “primary criminality” and that McDonald was not the target of the investigation.

McDonald of Hayworth Terrace, Ongar, Dublin 15 came forward to the circuit court on signed pleas of guilty from Dublin District Court to four money laundering offences. Three of these relate to the three savings accounts on various periods between 2013 and 2020.

She also pleaded guilty to possession of various items on February 2, 2019 at her home in Ongar, which she knew or believed were the proceeds of crime.

The items included Ted Baker sunglasses, a Pandora bracelet, two Louis Vuitton bags, a Gucci diamond hairclip, Christian Louboutin ladies shoes, a Dolce & Gabbana gold watch, a diamond tennis bracelet, silver diamond earrings, a gold diamond ring, gold loop earrings, a Ted Baker ladies jacket and a box of Swarovski jewelry.

Sgt Farrell agreed with Emmet Nolan BL, defending, that this defendant and the other women convicted of related offences were “very much in the slipstream of male [family] members who were able to exercise a degree of dominion over them”.

Mr Nolan said his client suffered physical abuse at the hands of her husband and has spent significant periods of time in women’s shelters. In 2021 she went to the UK to escape from him.

When he followed her there McDonald successfully applied to the courts there for an indefinite restraining order against him. Last June she was arrested on foot of an extradition order and spent eight days in custody in the UK.

Mr Nolan said his client is deeply ashamed and embarrassed by her involvement in this offending and has written a letter of apology.

Judge Orla Crowe said this was inherently serious offending and was something of a “family enterprise”. She said the women members of the family played a different but vital role and that the defendant was living well beyond her means at the time.

She accepted that this defendant was not the primary target of the garda investigation. She said she accepted her regrets about her involvement was sincere.

She imposed concurrent sentences of 18 months on each count which she suspended in full on condition that McDonald keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years.

On Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two year suspended sentence on Michael McDonald (24) for money laundering. McDonald of The Mall, Ongar rd., Clonee, Dublin 15 pleaded guilty to possession on December 10, 2019 of the proceeds of crime, namely a Ford Focus and designer bags, shoes, phones and cash.

In October 2024, Patrick McDonald of Allendale Grove, Clonsilla, Dublin was jailed after pleading guilty to having cash which was the proceeds of crime at Clonee, Co Meath on June 28, 2021.