An Irish Defence Forces corporal has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a €6.6 million money-laundering operation linked to one of Ireland’s most powerful drug cartels. The Irish Independent has learned that Richard Kearney (36) was working on behalf of The Family gang, a west Dublin-based criminal organization that has reportedly surpassed the Kinahan cartel as the country’s most significant illegal drug enterprise.
Investigation and Conviction
Kearney, a resident of Shancastle Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of €25,000 in criminal proceeds at an address in Fernwood Lawn, Tallaght, on May 6, 2022.
Garda investigations revealed his ties to truck drivers involved in smuggling large sums of cash across borders for organized crime groups. His lack of prior convictions made him an ideal recruit for the gang, as he was perceived to be "off the radar."
According to Garda Vincent Jaffray, Kearney was found to have laundered €6.6 million and £250,000 sterling between April 2021 and May 2022. A search of his rented property uncovered €10,455 hidden in a bed frame and an additional €15,000 wrapped in cling film inside a freezer.
A seized phone contained communications with drug dealers, detailing transactions, locations, and dates. Analysis of Kearney’s bank statements showed no legitimate source for the funds in his possession.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
During sentencing, Judge Martin Nolan described Kearney’s role in a “very substantial money laundering” operation. While acknowledging that he was unlikely to reoffend and possessed “many good points,” the judge noted the serious nature of the offense. The court determined that a six-year sentence would have been appropriate but reduced it to three years in consideration of mitigating factors, including Kearney’s cooperation with authorities and personal circumstances.
Defense counsel Ciara Ní Ghabhann BL stated that Kearney, a father of two and guardian to his partner’s four children, had been drawn into criminal activity after accepting a “friendly loan” around Christmas 2020. She claimed that mounting threats forced him into deeper involvement with the gang.
Kearney displayed little emotion as the sentence was handed down.
Defence Forces Response
Following the conviction, the Irish Defence Forces issued a statement confirming that proceedings for Kearney’s discharge had commenced.
“The Defence Forces unequivocally condemn any actions by serving personnel that are contrary to military regulations or that do not reflect our values,” a spokesperson said. “Any conviction in a civilian court has implications for the retention and service of members of the Defence Forces, as stipulated in military regulations. As a result of today’s decision, the individual’s commanding officer has initiated the proceedings for discharge.”
Kearney is the latest individual to be jailed in connection with The Family gang’s illicit financial network, as law enforcement agencies continue efforts to dismantle organized crime operations across Ireland.
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