A businessman who was involved in moving over €408,000 in cash for an organised crime group has been handed a four-year prison sentence.
Ion Nostas (42) pleaded guilty to a count of money-laundering at Rosemount Business Park, Blanchardstown on November 22nd, 2021. He has no previous convictions and has been in custody on this matter since January 2022.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday that Nostas of Littlepace Drive, Clonee, Dublin 15 had also arranged the involvement of two other individuals.
Judge Martin Nolan said it was his view that this money, which was the product of criminal activity, was "destined for somewhere else, probably abroad". He said assisting in the movement of criminal cash is a "serious matter" as "organised crime exists to make money".
Imposing a four-year sentence, Judge Nolan said Nostas had committed "a grievous error of judgement" by becoming involved in this offending.
Tip-off
The investigating garda told John Berry BL, prosecuting, that gardaí received a tip-off about the movement of a large quantity of cash belonging to an organised crime group. During a surveillance operation, gardaí observed two cars, a BMW and a Toyota, parked in a remote part of the Rosemount Business Park.
Gardaí observed Nostas, who was a passenger in the BMW, and another individual carry two large bags to the Toyota, then cover them with sheets. The two cars left the area, and were later stopped by gardaí who recovered €408,820 in cash.
The money was wrapped in elastic bands and had been vacuum-packed. Nostas and the two co-accused were arrested.
Nostas told gardaí that he was the director of two companies. During his fourth interview, Nostas accepted he was involved in the operation.
He told gardaí that he had been approached by an Irish man known as Patrick and asked to move money in exchange for a payment of €1,000.
Nostas arranged for the other two co-accused to get involved. He told gardaí he intended to keep €800 of the €1,000 for himself, pay €200 to a second co-accused, while the third co-accused knew nothing.
Nostas told gardaí he became scared when he realised the amount of cash involved. Gardai made enquiries to Interpol and identified no convictions for Nostas.
The investigating detective agreed with Brian Gageby BL, defending, that Nostas had explained that his role was limited to moving cash.
Mr Gageby said his client had co-operated with gardaí and made an early plea. As his client had engaged two others in this enterprise, Mr Gageby said Nostas could not be said to be at the very bottom of the ladder. However, it does not appear Nostas had a management or decision-making role within the organisation, he said.
Mr Gageby asked Judge Nolan not to extend Nostas' prison time significantly, arguing that significant mitigation in his client's favour is extremely significant.
Judge Nolan said Nostas seemed to have many good points, but “unfortunately for him, he committed a grievous error of judgement” by getting involved in this crime.
He said the crime is “too serious” for Nostas to avoid additional prison time and the accused had “involved himself in far too serious a way in the relocation of money”.
He set a headline sentence of six to eight years. Taking the significant mitigation into account, Judge Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence backdated to January 13th, 2022.
