Political and Business Hall of Shame

**Spudulika** · 30/01/2013, 7:32 PM

Originally Posted by Eminence Grise

Bump... with an interesting story in today's Irish Times.

The developer alleged to have bribed former Dungarvan councillor Fred Forsey Jnr (who was found guilty of corruption last year) is pleading not guilty to having made corrupt payments. Forsey's ex-wife, who testified against him, is lined up to give evidence.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...329430890.html

And sure you have to the the Quinn family a dishonourable mention as well, or at least his daughter 'Collect' Quinn.

'Colette Quinn, a daughter of bankrupt businessman Se�n Quinn snr, has told the Commercial Court she has few documents or receipts indicating what had happened to some €327,000 paid to her by Russian companies.

'She also confirmed she had withdrawn some €16,000 in 20 transactions mainly from ATMs in Belturbet and Cavan town over a period of two hours on June 14th, 2012. She was concerned about being asked about such matters for legal reasons and on grounds including her personal security, she said.

'Ms Quinn said some €340,000 was paid into her Ocean Bank account in Moscow in summer 2011 and there was about €12,500 left in that account last August.'

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking28.html

No receipts for the old petty cash? Sure we've all been there, haven't we?

Nothing surprises me with any county councillor or county council, Waterford CC were a disgrace in the late 90's, anyone who had the misfortune to travel from Cork to Waterford on a regular basis will remember the endless work being done to "straighten" the road outside Dungarvan and close to Kilmac. The corruption reached up to national government and nobody ever did a damn thing about it. Faking archaeological finds, destroying real ones, and wholesale theft of finds, it was shocking but not the worse in Ireland during that period. Sick.

Anyway, I jumped on to post (in frustration) on the Quinn debacle. What sickened me is how the Irish media are not reporting the facts and how the questions being asked to her (in the investigation/case) are missing one very, very simple point which falls within the remit and point of the case. If she signed an employment contract, as a foreigner, she HAD to have it translated, the translation notarised and only then will the bank accept payments. I know it will be said - sure it's Russia, but at that time (since 2008 really) there has been increasingly stringent rules on opening and operating bank accounts as a foreigner. Her signing a contract in Russian, without a translation, is illegal under Russian law. The contract would not be accepted in a bank (and Ocean is one of the more reputable outfits) and thus payments could not be made to her account.

So, I emailed media outlets in Ireland, but nothing. We can be sure that if the media starts asking questions, the legal eagles will too. Everything related to the Quinns, Seanie Fitz and many, many others here in the ex-USSR stinks to high heavens. Hundreds of millions was spent on property that never saw the light of day or even got past the foundations, yet it was paid out and disappeared. In some ways I feel the NAMA cretins and their cronies don't want to dig too deep as it would do them out of a job and possibly see more than a few locked up. What I don't understand is the Irish media's manner of reporting, like it's "ah sure, wouldn't we all do the same" instead of slamming the devious gits.

Rant over, sorry, just after having a massive debate with a DEA agent who is being sent home after Russia pulled the agreement of co-operation with the USA. He said that they were finally getting places in stemming the tide of narcotics and illegal alcohol into the EU but his own bosses in the USA forced Russia to sign for 10 years or stop the agreement. Being dumb, the Russkis pulled the plug.

**dahamsta** · 31/01/2013, 1:11 AM

I love "Collect Quinn". Nothing like a cheap shot to brighten my day.

I haven't read her actual testimony, just reports on breakingnews.ie, but what I have read is just plain comical. She might as well just say that they money was just resting in her account.

**Charlie Darwin** · 31/01/2013, 1:40 AM

Originally Posted by Spudulika

Anyway, I jumped on to post (in frustration) on the Quinn debacle. What sickened me is how the Irish media are not reporting the facts and how the questions being asked to her (in the investigation/case) are missing one very, very simple point which falls within the remit and point of the case. If she signed an employment contract, as a foreigner, she HAD to have it translated, the translation notarised and only then will the bank accept payments. I know it will be said - sure it's Russia, but at that time (since 2008 really) there has been increasingly stringent rules on opening and operating bank accounts as a foreigner. Her signing a contract in Russian, without a translation, is illegal under Russian law. The contract would not be accepted in a bank (and Ocean is one of the more reputable outfits) and thus payments could not be made to her account.

Is this something aspect of Russian contract law be something Irish journalists would be privy to? I know you emailed various meeja outlets but you'd need to target specific reporters, or even take it to social media. An editor or even a senior columnist is probably not even going to look at your mail.

**Spudulika** · 31/01/2013, 7:27 AM

Dahamsta - Father Ted would at least have had the good grace to be flustered!

CD - I sent it to the ones reporting/commenting on the matter, as well as to business/political editors in RTE, Newstalk etc. It is something they should know very easily about and it's a no-brainer. The legal counsel examining for the old AIB also is not posing the very simple question of her perpetrating a fraud. Everything in the matter is seriously suspicious. In a way they're almost guiding the situation to a no decision and to cover as many people as possible.

You're right about social media, it seems that it is one of the only ways to bring such points to light, though in a way I'm just frustrated and disappointed by the litany of lies coming out of the media and government in relation to the mess. NAMA/IIRC (is that right?) have engaged a company to chase up assets here that never existed, or that the company they've engaged (A1/Alfa) already own but have shunted off to a 1 person owner Ltd company that exists only on paper. Added to that some of the yahoo's NAMA/IIRC sent over to Russia spent more time in Nightflight and trawling gentlemen's clubs than actually working. I know it's unfair to brandish them all the same, though of the dozen or so I met, 1 guy was genuinely interested in getting the job done, the rest came from estate agent or mortgage broker firms that messed up in the first place. I guess it's probably me being jealous, having an 80,000 a year job and all expenses paid trips to far flung destinations, sure it's almost like being a TD.

**Charlie Darwin** · 31/01/2013, 8:09 AM

Originally Posted by Spudulika

CD - I sent it to the ones reporting/commenting on the matter, as well as to business/political editors in RTE, Newstalk etc. It is something they should know very easily about and it's a no-brainer. The legal counsel examining for the old AIB also is not posing the very simple question of her perpetrating a fraud. Everything in the matter is seriously suspicious. In a way they're almost guiding the situation to a no decision and to cover as many people as possible.

Yeah, don't bother with editors unless you know them personally. Academics could be easier to reach and would have the ear of journalists, but in general if you want to ask tough questions you have to target lower-level journalists who have the ambition and the tenacity to pursue it. Online media is definitely the way, as that's where traditional media outlets are increasingly getting their stories from. Or just write something up yourself and send it to different journalists so they can rip it off.

I'd be shocked AIB's counsel hasn't at least thought of it though.

You're right about social media, it seems that it is one of the only ways to bring such points to light, though in a way I'm just frustrated and disappointed by the litany of lies coming out of the media and government in relation to the mess. NAMA/IIRC (is that right?) have engaged a company to chase up assets here that never existed, or that the company they've engaged (A1/Alfa) already own but have shunted off to a 1 person owner Ltd company that exists only on paper. Added to that some of the yahoo's NAMA/IIRC sent over to Russia spent more time in Nightflight and trawling gentlemen's clubs than actually working. I know it's unfair to brandish them all the same, though of the dozen or so I met, 1 guy was genuinely interested in getting the job done, the rest came from estate agent or mortgage broker firms that messed up in the first place. I guess it's probably me being jealous, having an 80,000 a year job and all expenses paid trips to far flung destinations, sure it's almost like being a TD.

IRBC - IIRC is, ironically, the acronym for if I remember correctly. I wouldn't be able to comment on their debt collection activities in Russia but that sounds mad.

**EAFC_rdfl** · 31/01/2013, 11:33 AM

it's IBRC jeez

**Charlie Darwin** · 31/01/2013, 11:42 AM

Oops.

**Spudulika** · 31/01/2013, 12:37 PM

IBRC :-)

CD, thank you. This afternoon I sent a mail to a friend who's a barrister (she's not working on the case but her hubby is). While I don't want to be a crawler and I also don't believe the Quinn family are all bad, unless the prosecution is honest and correct, then they are doing the state a disservice - and it's the state paying for the legal counsel!

**dahamsta** · 31/01/2013, 1:26 PM

I was going to suggest that as a more direct route. Or The Phoenix.

**Spudulika** · 31/01/2013, 6:57 PM

Actually, The Phoenix isn't half a bad idea! They could get away with it. The sad thing is, the bleeeding obvious is not being picked up upon, such as international law. Even in Ireland a non-english speaker has to have papers/contracts interpreted for them to be legal, especially ones that are notarised/legalised.

**Eminence Grise** · 31/01/2013, 9:35 PM

Try this Spud:

The editor (Paddy Prendiville): editor @ the phoenix.ie

General editorial: goldhawk @ the phoenix.ie

Be good to see something come of it.

**Eminence Grise** · 04/03/2013, 11:03 AM

Why have the media been so coy in naming the former Cork politician suspected of trying to hire a hitman to deal with a Guard, revenue official and accountant? A quick Google search based on the facts available when the story broke last week led me to one particular individual - who shall remain nameless here, even though it is not defamatory to report that an individual has been questioned by Gardai on suspicion of certain crimes.

This from today's Irish Times:
A former public representative is due to appear in court later today in relation to an alleged attempt to hire a hitman to kill to three people in Cork.
The 37-year-old man is expected to be brought before Cork District Court after garda� last night got directions from the DPP to charge him.

The man was arrested at his home outside Cork city at around 9am on Thursday under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

He has been questioned for the past four days about an alleged conspiracy to hire a hitman to kill a garda, a Revenue Official and an accountant.

Garda� obtained a court extension of Saturday morning to allow them continue to question the man about the allegations and put material gathered in evidence to him.
(http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking1.html)

RTE has even less (http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0304/371...iracy-charges/ - just 56 words if you could be bothered to follow the link).

Surely, if this really is a republic, then all citizens are equal before the law and none can hide behind a party, or daddy, or whatever excuse might be offered? I'm pretty sure if this was any Joe Soap businessman he would have been named on the day he was arrested.

**Eminence Grise** · 04/03/2013, 1:03 PM

Named now as Gary O'Flynn. Application for bail rejected.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0304/371...iracy-charges/

**dahamsta** · 04/03/2013, 1:21 PM

Was thinking the same thing myself the last few days, if it you or I we'd've been named and shamed long ago.

The Indo seems to have been the first to go for it.

**Eminence Grise** · 06/03/2013, 8:32 PM

Mystery may be solved. O'Flynn was sentenced yesterday for public order offences and possession of a knife in a 2011 incident. I thought he had already been sentenced for this, so presumably any reporting of his more recent issues until he was formally charged might have interfered with the court process.

One of the testifying Gardai called him the most arrogant man he'd ever met. No, really?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking39.html

**Eminence Grise** · 19/04/2013, 10:48 AM

Very pleased to see that ex-FF TD Ivor Callelly will now have the chance to defend his good name following his arrest today by members of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0419/382410-callely-arrest/

**Spudulika** · 19/04/2013, 11:12 AM

While not, yet, in the level of infamy here. Conor Lenihan's boss and place of work was raided yesterday. Now, everybody here knows that the Skolkovo project is a load of tosh and is known (the polite version) as the Black Hole (sucks in money and it then disappears), that it has received massive funds for no return and that big tech companies have to (by law) have an office there or else be blocked from operating in the country. So that the FSB went in and raided the place was a shocker. More shocking is that Russia Today contacted RTE for background to Mad dog and they got it, but the story has gone unannounced in Ireland - given that there is $115million missing you'd think that there might be some interest. Anyway, more important things to be getting on with like Sligo v Pats tonight :-)