Man who claimed covid payments of six people receives jail sentence
Stefan Muntean, a Romanian with an address at Meadowbrook, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, was handed a three-year sentence by Judge Keenan Johnson at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court.
The 39-year-old, who was on social welfare, pleaded guilty to money laundering using his account in his local credit union and the finance app Revolut, and welfare fraud in 2022. A man who claimed COVID-19 payments for six people has received a jail sentence. Pic: Gareth Chaney Collins
The investigation was triggered when the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau became aware of suspicious transactions.
Det Garda Kenneth Nerney stated that from July 1 to October 24, 2022, Muntean had €48,752 deposited into his Revolut account. The source of the funds could not be identified, with Muntean telling gardaí that friends or relatives transferred money to him.
Unexplained cash lodgements to his credit union account came to about €11,000 from May 18 to November 25, 2022. A man who claimed COVID-19 payments for six people has received a jail sentence. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock
Det Garda James Martin stated that the investigation identified six PPS numbers of people who were not living in Ireland at the time but who were receiving PUP support, totalling €16,786, and which was also paid into Muntean's credit union account.
The PUP was a temporary social welfare payment for people who were out of work due to COVID-19. Muntean, who has previous convictions for theft and trespass, spent €90,000 in an online casino and withdrew €68,622 from his gambling account.
He had been entitled to a carer's allowance to look after his father and had worked intermittently. Gardaí accepted he had no display of wealth, the court heard.
Defence counsel Desmond Dockery said Muntean, who came to Ireland almost 20 years ago, was a member of the Roma community who suffered with health problems, had a gambling habit, and now lives in squalor and was estranged from his family.
Judge Johnson sentenced Muntean to five years and six months' imprisonment, but suspended two and a half years on the condition that he did not reoffend for five years. A concurrent two-year term was imposed for the PUP fraud.
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