Former psychic on trial for deception, money laundering offences

A former psychic charged with deception and money laundering offences involving some €1.7 million acknowledged controlling an account which transferred more than €660,000 into various accounts controlled by himself and others over a four day period, a court has heard.

Simon Gold (54), with an address at Augharan, Aughavas, Co Leitrim, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments on dates between January 1st, 2010 and October 22nd, 2012.

The trial has heard that Mr Gold accepted he had used the names Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O’Donoghue.

On the third day of evidence before the jury, Susanne Lindsey a senior crime analyst and civilian member of An Garda Síochána, told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that she was asked to make a chart based on all mentions of transactions of a bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd in the transcript of an interview of Mr Gold by gardaí­.

Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged he was responsible for the Ulster Bank College Green account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. She said he acknowledged receiving a transfer of €800,000 from Danish businessman Kurt Lauridsen on October 15th, 2012.

Transferred

She said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on the same date €10,000 was transferred from this account to an AIB account in Navan in the name Niall O’Donoghue and a further €12,686.64 was transferred to an Ulster Bank Belfast account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd.

Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 16th, 2012, a further €1,856.50 was transferred to the Navan AIB account in the name Niall O’Donoghue and €94,782.38 was transferred to an Ulster Bank Belfast account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd.

She said Mr Gold during the interview acknowledged that on the same date a further €410,018.38 was transferred into three other bank accounts.

Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 18th, 2012, a further €15,000 was transferred to the Navan AIB account in the name Niall O’Donoghue. She said Mr Gold acknowledged that a further €118,000 was transferred into three other accounts.

She said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 19th, 2012, a further €800,000 from Mr Lauridsen was transferred into the Ulster Bank College Green account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd.

The trial has previously heard that Mr Gold told gardaí­in interview it was his understanding that the two sums of €800,000 were to be used for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast and that Anglo Irish Global Ltd would receive about 20 per cent of whatever funds went through the account.

The trial continues on Wednesday.