A former Letterkenny student who acted as ‘money mule’ for sums totalling over €35,000 has been given a chance to avoid a prison sentence.
Zainab Adetanwa Agoro, who has pleaded guilty to a range of offences, appeared at Letterkenny District Court.
In total, the 23-year-old faced 84 counts over a total of more than €35,000 of criminal cash, but pleaded guilty to sample charges.
In passing sentence on Agoro, Judge Roderick Maguire said the accused was someone who had been “extremely reckless” when she allowed housemates permission to access and use AIB, Bank of Ireland and Revolut accounts.
Agoro was a student living in Letterkenny at the time of the offending in 2022.
Judge Maguire noted that a probation report categorised Agoro as being of a low risk of reoffending in the next 12 months. He said the defendant has good family support and does not engage in drug or alcohol misuse.
Agoro had not, Judge Maguire remarked, benefited from the monies and had a low level, albeit essential involvement.
He said the sums were not vast, but “moderately substantial” and said Agoro played a minimal role, while her conduct was not intended to assist a criminal organisation.
Judge Maguire said that a headline sentence of two years imprisonment was merited in the case.
Agoro pleaded guilty at an early stage, has remained on a good track and is very remorseful, he said.
“She was very young,” Judge Maguire said. “She is clearly a clever person, but that doesn’t equate with being wise or mature.”
In what he said was “an extremely unusual step”, Judge Maguire said he would apply sections 1(2) and (3) of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1907 in lieu of imposting a sentence.
Agoro was also told to pay the sum of €2,000 to St Vincent de Paul in Letterkenny and entered into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and to appear when called upon.
Judge Maguire said that “every effort should be made” to fully dispose of the matter. The case was adjourned until October when an update is to be given to the court.
Agoro, formerly with an address at Gort na Greine, Letterkenny and now living in Portlaoise, pleaded guilty to charges in relation to amounts of €1,350, €350, €1,100, €350 and €1,700.
Agoro pleaded guilty to several charges of possession of property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct, contrary to section 7.1 (a) and (b) and 7.3 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010.
They related to dates in 2022 and covered various sums in different accounts, knowing that it was or being reckless as to whether or not the said property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Ms Fiona Crawford BL, barrister for the State, said that the guilty pleas were accepted on a full facts basis and the other charges could be taken into consideration by the court.
Some of the payments – 24 in total – in question were Social Welfare payments, each relating to amounts of €350. There was no suggestion that Agoro was the person who requested these payments, the court heard.
Sergeant Maurice Doyle of Letterkenny Garda Station told the court that the matter came to light during the course of another investigation.
A person was arrested and a phone and ATM card were seized. The ATM card, found in a phone cover of the other accused person, was in the name of Agoro.
Detectives from the fraud department at Letterkenny Garda Station commenced an investigation and court orders were made and data requests made in relation to certain accounts.
Gardai found that transactions amounting to €27,925 had come into a bank account and the majority was either transferred out to other accounts or were withdrawn while another bank account showed that €5,820 was paid in and also moved on or withdrawn swiftly.
A data request relating to a Revolut account was made and an amount totalling €1,700 was found to have been transacted to that account.
Agoro was arrested in August 2022 and brought to Letterkenny Garda Station, where she was interviewed on four occasions.
Agoro told investigating detectives that she had given control of her accounts to a house mate and admitted that she was reckless in giving her details.
The court was told that Agoro is an Irish citizen whose parents are originally from Nigeria. Agoro has no previous convictions and has not come to adverse attention since, Sergeant Doyle said.
Sergeant Doyle confirmed that Agoro’s bank card was in the possession of another person and there was no evidence that she benefited from the activity.
Ms Patricia McLaughlin SC, barrister for Agoro with Mr Timothy Morrow BL and instructed by solicitor Mr Patsy Gallagher, asked Sergeant Doyle if it was true that her client ended up living in a house and in contact with people who were “undesirable, effectively” and he said this was correct.
He said a third party was in charge of her accounts at the time and that the money came into and left the accounts quickly.
Ms McLaughlin said that there was effectively a doubling up of charges as there were also theft offences proffered on Agoro.
Ms Mclaughlin said she wanted to acknowledge that money laundering is a serious offence, but there are degrees of someone’s participation and, in this instance, she said Agogo was extremely naive and extremely young. She told the court that Agoro got herself into a situation where she was living with people who she connected with through their Nigerian heritage.
“She naively, foolishly and recklessly allowed her bank accounts to be used,” Ms McLaughlin said.
The court was told that Agorop was studying a pharmaceutical and medical science course in Letterkenny, but dropped out and did not tell her family she had done so.
She was stressed having been told by a landlord that she would have to leave accommodation she was in. She said the people in her new accommodation took alcohol and drugs, but she did not partake in these activities.
Ms McLaughlin said that Agoro “felt uncomfortable and slightly intimidated” by these people. She told Judge Maguire that Agoro’s wages were continued to be paid into one of the accounts in question.
She said these cases were not “an uncommon practice” in Letterkenny where young people are used as money mules.
Agoro was said to be “upset” during an interview with a probation officer when talking about the impact the offending had on her family due to attention on media and social media.
Ms McLaughlin outlined that Agoro lost a job when these matters came to light and said her client is now “in limbo”.
Ms McLaughlin said her client is living with her mother in Portlaoise and is not in employment at the moment.
The barrister said Agoro was “naive and vulnerable” at the time and said she now had aspirations of becoming a mental health nurse or dental nurse.
Former Letterkenny student and €35k ‘money mule’ gets chance to avoid prison was last modified: July 24th, 2025 by Staff Writer