A “colonel and a major” in a “worldwide highly sophisticated money-laundering syndicate on a breathtaking scale” have been jailed for nine years and 7½ years respectively.
Ejike Francis Ogbuefi (42) of Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, and Steven Silvester (32) of the Paddocks, Morristown, Newbridge, Co Kildare, were both convicted of directing the activities of a criminal organisation following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February.
Ogbuefi was also convicted of 32 counts of money laundering and seven of conspiracy to launder money. The jury also convicted Silvester of five counts of money laundering, two of attempted money laundering, four of conspiracy to launder money and one of using a false instrument.
Both defendants had no previous convictions here or in another jurisdiction.
The court heard that both men were assessed to be above mule herders and money mules in the operation, with Ogbuefi having a more active role.
During the sentence hearing, Judge Martin Nolan suggested to the investigating garda that the men were a “colonel and a major”, which Det Garda Steven Kelly agreed with.
Imposing sentence on Friday, the judge said both men were involved in the offending and played certain roles.
He noted that the scheme’s ambition was to “get accounts to launder illicit monies” which were “undoubtedly the product of criminal behaviour” and that third parties unknown to the court suffered as a result.
“Both men were reasonably experienced in how the banking system works” and aware of its weaknesses which they tested, sometimes successfully, the judge said.
The judge said he had considered the mitigation and there was a “good chance” the men would not reoffend in future, but that the court could not be certain.
The judge noted that money laundering is a “serious problem” and the court often dealt with cases of people who provided their bank details to be used in these schemes.
“These bank accounts are absolutely necessary for all fraud, because monies have to come to earth somewhere,“ the judge said, noting that the defendants’ main role was to procure bank accounts so that money could be sent to others who profited.
He imposed on Ogbuefi a sentence of nine years and imposed a 7½ year sentence on Silvester, whom he considered to be at a lower level.
Kelly told Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing, prosecuting, that the Garda investigation looked at various bank accounts, transactions and online communications.
Evidence suggested both men were receiving requests, often from phone numbers in Nigeria, to launder money from different types of frauds.
Kelly agreed with Conor Devally, defending Ogbuefi, that his client is from Nigeria and his family is law-abiding.
Garda Kelly agreed with Maurice Coffey, defending Silvester, that his client became involved in this criminality some time after his arrival in Ireland in 2015 and had no record of shopping in high-end stores or trappings of wealth.
It was also accepted that Ogbuefi appeared to have a more active role than Silvester.
Defence counsel told the court their clients accepted the verdicts of the jury and were remorseful.
Testimonials were handed to the court on behalf of both men.
Mr Devally asked the court to view Ogbuefi as being “appointed to a position of local authority in a wider organisation”.
Mr Coffey said Silvester was under pressure and desperate at the time. He asked the court to consider that his client did not come to Ireland to get involved in this offending, but fell into temptation at a time of vulnerability.