FOUR MEN appeared before Tallaght District Court in Dublin yesterday charged with alleged tax evasion and fraud.
The men, who were arrested yesterday morning, were remanded with consent to bail to appear at Tallaght District Court on May 7th. The court was told that the charges related to vehicle registration offences, tax evasion and fraud, with an additional charge of corruption for one of the men who had worked with the Revenue Commissioners.
Gerard Blaney (54) with an address at McKee Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, will answer 27 charges relating to Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) fraud, and one charge of corruption. Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau told the court that Mr Blaney, who worked as a Revenue official, allegedly accepted corrupt payments to carry out the processing of vehicles. The exact amount was not known, but the court heard it was believed to be between €1,000 and €1,500 in total.
The 27 charges amount to a loss of €222,675 to the Revenue.
Lee Cullen (37) with an address at Coolmine, Saggart, Co Dublin, faces 21 charges relating to VRT fraud which totalled a loss of €151,284 to Revenue. John Dunne (37), of Monastery Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, was charged with 11 offences, relating to fraud worth €48,958. Richard Mockler (43) with an address at Kilteel, Naas, Co Kildare, was charged with six offences, with an estimated loss of €24,433 to the Revenue.
The court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that all four men be sent forward for trial.
