Seán Quinn writes to TDs calling for investigation into takeover of his company

Former billionaire Seán Quinn has written to TDs denying any role in the kidnapping of Quinn Industrial Holdings executive Kevin Lunney and detailing a long list of grievances against the Government and State agencies.

The founder of the Quinn Group, which is now called Mannok, called for an inquiry into why various State agencies declined to investigate his claims of fraud relating to the company’s takeover.

“I would sincerely ask you, as a public representative, to ensure any cover up or negligence in terms of investigating the whole issue is reviewed and brought to the public’s attention,” he said in the letter sent to public representatives on Wednesday.

Mr Quinn wrote that he has been “vilified for long enough” and was motivated to write the letter due to the “overwhelming response” to his recently published book, In My Own Words, which detailed how he believes his company could have been saved from takeover during the collapse of its main lender Anglo Irish Bank.

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The Co Fermanagh businessman told TDs he was compelled to write to them “as over the past 15 years or so an unsubstantiated narrative has developed attempting to place me at the centre of possible criminal activity, financial or otherwise and these perpetual untruths have been damaging and particularly upsetting to both my family and I”.

Anglo seized the Quinn Group in April 2011 because it was owed a debt of €2.88 billion, which had its origins in highly risky investments Mr Quinn made in Anglo shares by way of contracts for difference (CfDs).

Mr Quinn said in his letter that several State agencies had responsibility for his company being improperly taken over. He also accused the Garda of failing to take seriously evidence he produced of fraud relating to the Quinn Group.

He said the then government and Anglo achieved their goal of leaving him “penniless for the last 12 years, unable to fight my corner regarding the takeover of our companies”. He claimed the takeover was “unconscionable by the Irish government” and that the majority of the local community are aware of the “betrayal, greed, disharmony” that its new executives have brought to the local area.

Mr Quinn said he is not hoping to benefit financially from any inquiry into the takeover.

He also said attempts to link him to the kidnapping for Mr Lunney “were pure evil”. Mr Lunney, who was chief operating officer of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) after the takeover, was kidnapped and tortured by a group of men in Co Cavan in 2019. Mr Quinn has repeatedly denied any involvement.

Mr Quinn told TDs he did not have “any hand act or part in Kevin Lunney’s abduction, either arranging or paying for it”.