Six family members in Cork court over alleged money laundering

Six members of the same family appeared before Cork District Court in relation to the alleged money laundering of more than €100,000 under the Criminal Justice and Money Laundering Terrorist Financing Act.

The charges against members of the Heaphy family followed searches at Kerry Hall Road and St Coleman’s Road on the northside of Cork city last year.

Judge Con O’Leary heard that gardaí searched a house at St Coleman’s Road in Farranree, Cork, on the February 27th, 2014. A second property at Kerry Hall Road in Fairhill, Cork, was searched a month later.

Amounts of cash varying from €200 to €29,500 were recovered from the properties. Post office books with lodged amounts of €2,200 to €10,000 were also taken from the properties by officers.

This morning gardaí arrested Mrs Helen Heaphy (54) at her home in Kerry Hall Road. She was charged under the Criminal Justice and Money Laundering Terrorist Financing Act of 2010.

Gardaí also arrested and charged Nicole, Jessica, Daniel and Jonathan Heaphy and Jennifer Duggan Heaphy in relation to money laundering. The accused range in age from 20 to 34.

Caroline Ring (51) from Clover Avenue in Shanakiel, Cork, also appeared in court charged in connection with the money laundering investigation.

Six of the seven were arrested at properties in Kerry Hall Road; Ms Ring was arrested in Shanakiel.

Bail was granted to all seven accused. They have to give up their passports and reside at named properties pending their respective trials. They also have to obey signing on conditions at Gurranabraher Garda Station.

All seven accused will go forward for trial by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in October. None of the accused made any reply when the charges were put to them.

The arrests come following a co-ordinated investigation by the Divisional Fraud Investigation Unit at Anglesea Street in Cork city, assisted by Divisional Drug Unit and Criminal Assets Bureau.