CAB's successes: The €2 million tax demand served last week on former Fianna Fáil Minister Mr Burke is by no means the most substantial handed down by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) since its inception seven years ago.
Many of those who have been targeted by CAB for unpaid revenue have reached settlements with the bureau, and paid sums smaller than the initial demand. However, a number of others have been sent to prison following CAB revenue investigations.
A Dublin-based car-parts dealer and property speculator, Mr Charlie Duffy, was served with a demand for €20 million, and reached a sterling settlement just below that figure two years ago.
Mr Duffy (61) lives in a large house in Howth. He had extensive land holdings in west Dublin, as well as a substantial property in Smithfield from which he formerly ran his car-parts business.
He bought the former distillery site in Smithfield from the State in 1991 for €635,000. In 1998 he sold his other Smithfield property to developers for more than €10 million. Mr Duffy has a number of criminal convictions, and has been linked with George Redmond.
Mr Gerry Hutch, a north Dublin man, was served with a demand for €2.5 million and settled around three years ago.
Mr Hutch was one of 12 targets identified by CAB when it was formed.
Mr Eamonn Galavan, the managing director of Galavan Supplements Ltd, based in Bree near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, paid the bureau around €4 million.
A Dublin businessman. Mr Matt Kelly, sold some property in order to settle a €5 million demand from CAB.
The bureau also has a number of reserved judgments against properties owned by the convicted drug dealer John Gilligan.
CAB also secured a judgment against brothel keeper Thomas McDonnell for just over €2 million in unpaid income tax and interest.
The sum was based on an assessment of alleged unpaid tax and interest over a 10-year period.
In 1999 bureau gardaí estimated that McDonnell was making up to £5,000 a week and had 12 prostitutes working for him. He was jailed for revenue offences.
The former lord mayor of Dublin, Mr Michael Keating, also settled with CAB. He paid €220,000 to the bureau to settle his tax affairs.
The former Fine Gael TD, junior minister and one-time deputy PD leader insisted after the settlement that his dealings with CAB did not arise from any criminal involvement on his part.
