A young woman appeared in court recently on a money laundering charge related to the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
Sarah Obasogie (24) originally from Waterford, but with an address at 131 Meadowbrook, Willow Park, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, appeared before Judge John Cheatle at a sitting of Waterford District Court last month.
She was charged with a single count of money laundering, contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 on a date between 9 February and 11 May, 2021.
This related to a fraudulent application for the PUP, a €350 weekly payment introduced by the Department of Social Protection during the Covid pandemic to support people out of work.
Sergeant John Phelan outlined to the court that in 2021, Gardaí were made aware that the accused had received €3,850 in her bank account as a result of a false application made for the payment.
The accused told Gardaí that one of her friends had asked to use her bank account to receive the payment as he had lost access to his, and this was facilitated as she allowed him to withdraw the money using her card. Sgt. Phelan noted the accused has no previous convictions, but said the Department of Social Protection remains at a loss for the money.
It was also highlighted to the court that the investigating Garda member did not believe she received any financial gain from it.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Hilary Delahunty said that although the court is familiar with these cases, this was a “different type” of money laundering offence as usually there is a ‘mastermind’ involved, but this related to somebody ‘well-known’ to his client asking if he could use her account to receive the PUP payment.
A section of a transcript of the accused’s interview with Gardaí was read out by Mr. Delahunty. When questioned about her friend, she said: “We met at a party and became friends. I trusted him. I got a fishy feeling and asked him to stop but he became aggressive.”
The court was told that the man involved has been prosecuted for an offence before the Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr. Delahunty said the accused was ‘astonished’ to think that any fraud had happened, and that she is a “lovely young lady who has never been in trouble before.”
Mr. Delahunty said his client was a student originally from Waterford, but had moved to Athlone for college, but she is now back living in Waterford.
A letter of apology was presented to Judge Cheatle by the solicitor on behalf of the accused, along with €1,000 in compensation to be paid over to the Department of Social Protection.
Mr. Delahunty concluded by asking if his client could avoid a conviction.
Judge Cheatle said that as the accused has a clean record, helped Gardaí to the best of her ability and did not profit, he struck out the matter.
Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Robyn Power
