A High Court judge has ordered the winding up of an Irish-registered luxury property investment firm and said it was being used for “improper purposes”.
Mr Justice Brian O’Moore said it was open to the liquidator to bring the case of of Lux Estate Capital Ltd to the DPP and the Director of Corporate Enforcement and such an order was not required from the court.
The judge granted the winding up order in respect of Lux Estate Capital Limited, with a registered address at Townspark, Trim Road, Athboy, Co Meath, which purports to be involved in real estate investments in various countries, primarily in Spain.
“It seems to me that it should be wound up, that it is being used for improper purposes,” the judge said.
'Implausible explanations'
Liquator Myles Kirby in a report to the court said the company was purportedly formed to carry out real estate transactions in Spain’s Costa del Sol.
He said photos of properties from the internet had been supplied along with “utterly implausible explanations”. There was “no evidence that the company ever engaged in meaningful trade,” he said.
Mr Kirby further stated that it appeared from the available documentation the petitioner has been the victim of a fraud where funds were obtained by false pretences that she was investing in in a €7 million business.
The court heard that the company was run and owned by a Polish national called Lukasz Salamander, aka Lukasz Salamandra.
After living in Ireland, where he worked for a courier company, he moved to Spain last year.
Investments not repaid
It is alleged that he used Lux "as a vehicle to procure monies by way of bogus investments in property."
The High Court previously heard that following representations from Mr Salamander fellow Polish national Katarzyna Kryzaznowska invested €40,000 in the firm on false pretences and claims to be a victim of "a fraud".
She sought the return of her investment, but when her monies were not repaid, she petitioned the court to have Lux wound up.
Insolvency practitioner Myles Kirby was appointed as provisional liquidator to the company by a judge in December, after the court was told Lux was insolvent and could not pay its debts as they fall due.
