€52 million theft

Ellie2008

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/struckoff-solicitor-to-be-tried-on-charges-of-stealing-52m-3009790.html

STRUCK-OFF solicitor Thomas Byrne is to stand trial accused of stealing approximately €52m in connection with mortgages taken out on more than 20 properties.

In December, the ex-lawyer had been charged by fraud squad detectives with dishonestly appropriating the sum of €1,887,415 entrusted to him for the purpose of discharging a loan with Permanent TSB.

He was also accused of stealing €198,742 that had been given to him for the purpose of paying stamp duty in the purchase of an apartment building at Upper Dorset Street, in Dublin 1.

On December 9 last, he had been remanded on bail and he appeared again at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Dressed in a light grey and pink pin-striped suit, yellow shirt and a green chequered tie, the former solicitor remained silent as Judge John O'Neill heard that 50 additional charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act had been brought against him.

Mr Byrne (45), of Walkinstown Road, Dublin 12, but who also has an address at Aungier Street in Dublin 2, has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.

He now faces 14 counts of making false instruments including deeds of transfer and assignments of properties; eight counts of using false instruments; nine charges of deception; and 21 theft charges in connection with mortgages taken out on more than 20 private residences across Dublin.

In the theft charges, it is alleged he stole sums totalling approximately €52m from National Irish Bank; IIB; Irish Nationwide Building Society; EBS; Anglo Irish Bank and Bank of Scotland, from 2004 until September 2007.

Det Sergeant Paschal Walsh, of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, told Judge O'Neill that the extra charges were put to Mr Byrne yesterday before court started.

Indictment

"In reply to each charge, he made no comment," Det Sgt Walsh added.

Solicitor Catherine Irvine, for the State, told the judge that "the DPP has directed trial on indictment in relation to all the charges". She also said that the book of evidence in the case would be completed in four weeks.

Judge O'Neill acceded to a request from defence counsel Sean O Siothchain for legal aid to be granted on new charges brought against Mr Byrne. The judge also agreed to extend bail terms.

The judge remanded Mr Byrne, who stood up during the brief hearing, on bail to appear again in four weeks when he is to be served with a book of evidence.

In December, Mr Byrne, who previously had a solicitor's practice in Walkinstown, Dublin, was told as a condition of bail to surrender his passport and not to apply for a new one.

- Tom Tuite

How did he ever think he'd get away with it???

tayto lover

What I can't figure out is why he got free legal aid. His suit alone cost thousands.

dark crystal

I'm baffled as to how he thought he'd actually get away with it.

Did he think he'd never be detected and retire to the Bahamas by the time he was 50?

Crazy stuff.

mongdesade

"Dressed in a light grey and pink pin-striped suit, yellow shirt and a green chequered tie..."

Fookin Willy Wonka

kinetic

With all that money you think he do something about his hair loss

dirtyden

Ellie2008 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/struckoff-solicitor-to-be-tried-on-charges-of-stealing-52m-3009790.html

STRUCK-OFF solicitor Thomas Byrne is to stand trial accused of stealing approximately €52m in connection with mortgages taken out on more than 20 properties.

In December, the ex-lawyer had been charged by fraud squad detectives with dishonestly appropriating the sum of €1,887,415 entrusted to him for the purpose of discharging a loan with Permanent TSB.

He was also accused of stealing €198,742 that had been given to him for the purpose of paying stamp duty in the purchase of an apartment building at Upper Dorset Street, in Dublin 1.

On December 9 last, he had been remanded on bail and he appeared again at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Dressed in a light grey and pink pin-striped suit, yellow shirt and a green chequered tie, the former solicitor remained silent as Judge John O'Neill heard that 50 additional charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act had been brought against him.

Mr Byrne (45), of Walkinstown Road, Dublin 12, but who also has an address at Aungier Street in Dublin 2, has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.

He now faces 14 counts of making false instruments including deeds of transfer and assignments of properties; eight counts of using false instruments; nine charges of deception; and 21 theft charges in connection with mortgages taken out on more than 20 private residences across Dublin.

In the theft charges, it is alleged he stole sums totalling approximately €52m from National Irish Bank; IIB; Irish Nationwide Building Society; EBS; Anglo Irish Bank and Bank of Scotland, from 2004 until September 2007.

Det Sergeant Paschal Walsh, of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, told Judge O'Neill that the extra charges were put to Mr Byrne yesterday before court started.

Indictment

"In reply to each charge, he made no comment," Det Sgt Walsh added.

Solicitor Catherine Irvine, for the State, told the judge that "the DPP has directed trial on indictment in relation to all the charges". She also said that the book of evidence in the case would be completed in four weeks.

Judge O'Neill acceded to a request from defence counsel Sean O Siothchain for legal aid to be granted on new charges brought against Mr Byrne. The judge also agreed to extend bail terms.

The judge remanded Mr Byrne, who stood up during the brief hearing, on bail to appear again in four weeks when he is to be served with a book of evidence.

In December, Mr Byrne, who previously had a solicitor's practice in Walkinstown, Dublin, was told as a condition of bail to surrender his passport and not to apply for a new one.

- Tom Tuite

How did he ever think he'd get away with it???

It does seem very amateurish. Typical solicitor though, driven only by greed and comtempt for the law.

Ellie2008

dirtyden wrote: »

It does seem very amateurish. Typical solicitor though, driven only by greed and comtempt for the law.

Sweeping generalisation there, there is good and bad in every profession, great teachers, lazy teachers etc.

dirtyden

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Sweeping generalisation there, there is good and bad in every profession, great teachers, lazy teachers etc.

It is somewhat of a generalisation, but I believe more so than the average occupation, solicitors are driven by greed. I have very little respect for the occupation.

Capt'n Midnight

tayto lover wrote: »

What I can't figure out is why he got free legal aid. His suit alone cost thousands.

Does that mean that everyone with a mortgage is entitled to free aid too ?

Capt'n Midnight

tayto lover wrote: »

What I can't figure out is why he got free legal aid. His suit alone cost thousands.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/courtroom/solicitors.html

Solicitors do not have to wear any special clothes when in court

Capt'n Midnight

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Sweeping generalisation there, there is good and bad in every profession, great teachers, lazy teachers etc.

http://www.dsba.ie/home/introduction.697.html

three thousand solicitors in Dublin alone today and nearly seven thousand solicitors throughout the country.

On average they've stolen over €7,000 each :pac:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0917/1224304267175.html

THIRTY SOLICITORS have been struck off in the past decade, according to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.
...
More solicitors have been struck off in the past two years than were struck off in the eight years before 2009, the Minister told Labour TD Anne Ferris.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/struckoff-solicitors-appalling-record-of-fraud-2247066.html Mary Miley €1.25m

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/struckoff-solicitors-appalling-record-of-fraud-2247066.html Joseph Traynor, millions of euro

http://randomirishnews.com/2011/10/14/michael-lynn-in-poland-bomb-blast-probe/

DISGRACED developer and former solicitor Michael Lynn is feared to have been the target of a gangland bomb attack.

The fugitive was in a house in Krakow, Poland, when the blast went off. A car, that Polish police think was his, was found at the property shortly after the attack but there was no sign of the 44-year-old from Co. Mayo.

Documents detailing various property deals by his failed firm Kendar Properties were found in the vehicle.

Lynn is believed to have been visiting the house when the bomb went off. It was only after the car was searched that a link to Lynn, who left Ireland more than four years ago owing around €80million, was established.

So the average amount swindled per solicitor is now nearly €20,000.

Oh well only five more years to go..
http://www.ahajokes.com/com067.html

Riker and Picard together horrified "Lawyers !!"

Geordi "It can't be. All the lawyers were rounded up and sent hurtling into the sun in 2017 during the Great Awakening."

AndrewR

Anyone else think it odd that an alleged victim of Thomas Byrne didn't report €610,000 not being paid/being misused?
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/garda-didnt-report-610000-taken-from-account-trial-told-29667487.html

chopper6

dirtyden wrote: »

It is somewhat of a generalisation, but I believe more so than the average occupation, solicitors are driven by greed. I have very little respect for the occupation.

I agree...in any dealings with them I've had they tend to be arrogant,lazy,dishonest and greedy.

I had a simple conveyancing case once where I paid the solicitor up front..three months later he still hadn't done the job so I threatened to report him to the Bar Council...he had it done in three days!

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

dirtyden wrote: »

It does seem very amateurish. Typical solicitor though, driven only by greed and comtempt for the law.

What?

SEPT 23 1989

5 year stretch,out in 3

Grolschevik

chopper6 wrote: »

I agree...in any dealings with them I've had they tend to be arrogant,lazy,dishonest and greedy.

I had a simple conveyancing case once where I paid the solicitor up front..three months later he still hadn't done the job so I threatened to report him to the Bar Council...he had it done in three days!

You threatened to report him to a completely unconnected professional body? And it worked?

snubbleste

Trial judge Pat McCartan described the scale of Mr Byrne's wrongdoing as "colossal" which involved "considerable skill and cunning" on Mr Byrne's part.
The judge sentenced Mr Byrne to 16 years with four years suspended.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/jailed-tom-byrne-gets-12-years-for-largest-fraud-in-irish-history-29802456.html

12 years..
Fair? I think so.

mike65

Decent amount - this kind of thing needs to be dealt with harshly.

It'll be appealed you can be sure.

Holsten

12 years is fair? No, it's unfair.

He is non violent... it's a waste of a jail space that should be taken up by a violent offender. What is really to be gained from having him locked up for that amount of time? Sweet feck all that's what.

Gmol

Holsten wrote: »

12 years is fair? No, it's unfair.

He is non violent... it's a waste of a jail space that should be taken up by a violent offender. What is really to be gained from having him locked up for that amount of time? Sweet feck all that's what.

He swindled people out of their homes and abused the trust placed in him

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Very surprised at the length of the sentence, but then again he insisted on pleading not guilty, and on inisting the people whose houses he effectively stole had given him permission.

Holsten

Gmol wrote: »

He swindled people out of their homes and abused the trust placed in him

I know he did, and he should be punished for it but this is completely excessive, helps no one and solves nothing.

Will these people get their homes/money back? Like hell they will.

More money wasted in keeping him locked up, he'll be in the training unit at Mount Joy most likely, spending his days playing cards and watching tv... he should be out working for free or something, helping those he ****ed over somehow.

goose2005

mongdesade wrote: »

"Dressed in a light grey and pink pin-striped suit, yellow shirt and a green chequered tie..."

... he was immediately taken into custody by An Garda Faiseanta.

MadsL

tayto lover wrote: »

What I can't figure out is why he got free legal aid. His suit alone cost thousands.

Friends in the business?

tayto lover

snubbleste wrote: »

12 years..
Fair? I think so.

Ha. He will serve 3 years more than the poor garlic man and he paid back the money. he will only do 6 of the 12. Shocking.

Lapin

Holsten wrote: »

I know he did, and he should be punished for it but this is completely excessive, helps no one and solves nothing.

The severity of the sentence might act as a deterrant for other crooks in suits.

There are a lot of white collar criminals who would gladly take a two or three year sentence if they had a few million laundered away to live off when they are released.

But 12 years is a different story. That length of time would deter most fraudsters from ripping innocent people off.

Clear the prisons of petty shoplifters and people locked up for non payment of minor fines and there will be plenty of room there for corporate swindlers like Byrne.

I hope he's the first of many.

Holsten

It won't act as any deterrent at all.

Harsh sentences never act as a deterrent as people never think they'll get caught.

Lapin

Holsten wrote: »

It won't act as any deterrent at all.

Harsh sentences never act as a deterrent as people never think they'll get caught.

There will always be those who think they are invincible.

But harsh sentences do deter a lot of would be white collar criminals.

Otherwise there'd be a lot more of them at it.

Holsten

No way in hell, throwing the book... making an example, all a load of total ****.

Doesn't do anything except cost us money.

Lapin

Throw away the key, thats what I say.

For Forks Sake

tayto lover wrote: »

Ha. He will serve 3 years more than the poor garlic man and he paid back the money. he will only do 6 of the 12. Shocking.

Standard remission is 25%...so 9 years.

And 'poor garlic man' defrauded the state of €1.6m. And is out since March having had his sentence reduced to 2 years.


Edit; I can't believe I wasted my 3000th post on that.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Standard remission is 25%...so 9 years.

And 'poor garlic man' defrauded the state of €1.6m. And is out since March having had his sentence commuted to 2 years.


Edit; I can't believe I wasted my 3000th post on that.

It was not commuted, he successfully appealed the severity of sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

johnnyskeleton

tayto lover wrote: »

Ha. He will serve 3 years more than the poor garlic man and he paid back the money. he will only do 6 of the 12. Shocking.

I get appalled by completely made up figures too.

Sala

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

I get appalled by completely made up figures too.

The new community release programme means you can get out after serving half your sentence. It's for non violent offenders, not sure if there are restrictions though

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Seems the prick was being less than truthful when describing himself at his trial as a waiter, he was still at his old tricks even while he was in the witness box.
No surprise that the restaurant he was running , using a false name, was leased from Mick Wallace!
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/thomas-byrne-known-as-sebastian-hobart-to-cafe-clients-1.1614992
The convicted ex-solicitor Thomas Byrne was until recently the sole director of a Dublin cafe and used a false name while running the business, The Irish Times has learned.
Former customers say Byrne ran the cafe while presenting himself as a “Sebastian Hobart” and he claimed to have returned to Dublin after working in the fashion industry in London.