Money laundering trial told of €144,000 bank lodgment

THE TRIAL of financial adviser Ted Cunningham accused of money laundering cash from the Northern Bank robbery yesterday heard…

THE TRIAL of financial adviser Ted Cunningham accused of money laundering cash from the Northern Bank robbery yesterday heard how €144,000 was lodged to his account with the ACC Bank just over a week before over £2 million was discovered at his home in Co Cork.

Yesterday was the 33rd day of Mr Cunningham’s trial and it saw the State close the prosecution case.

Judge Con Murphy asked the jury to return this afternoon to Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The trial also heard evidence from businessman Norbert Gallagher who told how he had a meeting with the former chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Phil Flynn in January 2005 when they discussed going to Bulgaria.

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Mr Gallagher, who was international business director for the Irish Productivity Centre, said he only met Mr Cunningham briefly.

Mr Gallagher said he did not have any business meetings with Mr Cunningham and his interest was in the possibility of a project management role for himself.

The trial heard evidence from Owen Russell of ACC Bank who told how the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation asked him for accounts held by Mr Cunningham, Chesterton Finance and other companies as part of the investigation.

Mr Russell said that two cheques were lodged to the account of Ted Cunningham’s ACC bank account in Wicklow on February 7th, 2005 for sums of €100,000 and €44,000 both from John Sheehan.

The jury of seven men and five women at Cork Circuit Criminal Court had previously heard how Mr Sheehan, a property developer from Ballincollig in Co Cork had given Mr Cunningham a loan of €200,000 in early February 2005.

Mr Cunningham denies 20 charges of money laundering including one of possessing £3,010,380 at Farran between December 20th, 2004 and February 16th, 2005, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of robbery at the Northern Bank Cash Centre in Belfast.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times