Ireland Sees 5,500% Surge in Money Laundering Cases Over Decade, Reaching 2,800 in 2025
Ireland has experienced a dramatic 5,500% increase in money laundering cases over the past decade, with An Garda Síochána investigating nearly 2,800 cases in 2025, up from 50. This surge is driven by online fraud and sophisticated banking schemes, posing significant challenges for law enforcement resources.
Online fraudsters rely on a network of bank accounts to receive stolen funds and subsequently channel them, often out of the country. Some individuals, frequently students, willingly allow their bank accounts to be used in exchange for a modest payment. However, others are coerced; for instance, a victim of sextortion, whose case is before the courts this month, was blackmailed into permitting a crime gang to use his Revolut account.
While drug gangs continue to utilize traditional cash-based businesses, such as barbershops and nail salons, for money laundering, the substantial volume of funds generated by online fraud necessitates more advanced banking-based solutions.
Ten years ago, An Garda Síochána investigated approximately 50 cases of money laundering annually in Ireland. By 2025, this figure had escalated dramatically to nearly 2,800 cases. This represents a significant increase, raising questions about the reasons behind this surge and the Garda's capacity to address this expanding category of crime.
Conor Lally, the Irish Times crime and security editor, elaborates on why money laundering has become a major criminal enterprise in Ireland. The discussion is presented by Bernice Harrison and produced by John Casey and Suzanne Brennan.