Tralee Circuit Court heard that Sabian Covaciu (27) of Deerpark, Tralee, enlisted his father, Cristian Covaciu (51) and sister, Francisca Covaciu (23) of the same address, in laundering €63,737 for a criminal organisation in 2021.
The court heard that Sabian Covaciu laundered amounts of €18,000, €200 and €9,417 while Cristian Covaciu and Francisca Covaciu were each charged with one count of laundering €18,120 and €18,000 respectively on May 10, 2021.
It was part of a wider activity by an organised crime group in Tralee that saw minors and adults act as money mules by organisers known as herders, the court heard. Garda Detective Kevin Tarrant told the court that many cases had already made their way through the justice system, but an alleged “three or four mules” had yet to have their cases heard.
“It’s still ongoing judge, there’s a lot of moving parts out there,” said the detective.
Prosecuting Barrister Tom Rice told the court there was direct contact between an underage money herder and Sabian Covaciu, who acted as a mule and persuaded his father and sister to join him. Sabian Covaciu had contact with the herder, who was a minor at the time, while his father and sister had no contact.
Mr Rice told the court that an online bank account was opened in 2021 and minor transactions were made on May 10, 2021.
The banks compensated those who lost money.
Tralee Courthouse. Photo by Mark O’Sullivan.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – May 7th
Although the herder had promised Sabian Covaciu 10 per cent of the transfer value, he received no more than €100, said Gda Det Tarrant. “Yes, judge, it was presented to be quick, easy money,” he said.
The barrister for Sabian Covaciu established that his client quickly co-operated with gardai, providing a description of what he knew of the herders and an explanation of how they used his phone. He pleaded guilty at an early stage.
He was “fully compliant” when interviewed, said Det Gda Tarrant.
Richard Liston, barrister for Mr Covaciu’s father, noted laundered money “flows down through different rungs of the ladder” and his client was at the bottom rung.
“I would agree with that judge but, without the lowest rung, the rest of the ladder doesn’t exist,” said Det Gda Tarrant.
The court heard Cristian Covaciu was so naive that he lodged €80 of his own money into the account, which was withdrawn along with the laundered money.
“It meant that there was a net loss to him,” said Mr Liston.
“He had minimal knowledge, none at all,” said the detective.
The father always had gainful employment since moving to Ireland in 2002, Mr Liston stated.
“He’s a man who’s always given to society,” continued Mr Liston. “He’s always worked. In essence, he suffered a loss from this fraud.”
Representing Francisca Covaciu, Barrister Elizabeth Murphy noted her client was aged 18 at the time of the offence and a March 2022 interview indicated she “might not have known” what she did was a criminal offence. She noted her client had no financial benefit from the crime, had travelled from Dublin to Tralee for the investigation, was fully co-operative and had subsequently invested in her education and family.
“She’s been no trouble at all,” said her barrister.
The father and sister had no previous convictions and had not otherwise come to garda attention, the court heard. Sabian Covaciu had six previous, the court further heard.
At the same sitting, the court heard two other cases against Sabian Covaciu.
One was for assault on a woman at Balloonagh, Tralee on January 30, 2022. The court heard that the victim, aged 18 at the time, had a split lip after he punched her. Mr Covaciu pleaded guilty on February 10. The court heard he texted an apology to her mother.
Finally, the court heard that Mr Covaciu and his neighbour Abdel Muntean (22) of Dromcairn, Skahanagh, Tralee faced charges for the possession of €14,000 worth of marijuana for sale and supply. They were caught in a garda stake-out hiding packets under a tree on October 27, 2023, the court heard.
Mr Muntean, 19 at the time of the offence, was apprehended at the time. Mr Covaciu fled after a tussle with a garda but was later arrested when a shoe he left at the scene was linked to him through DNA testing, the court heard.
In sentencing, Mr Covaciu’s siste Francisca, received a one-year sentence, suspended for two years. Judge Alec Gabbett took into account her strong work history, family situation and noted she was “extremely young and naïve” at the time and had become involved through her brother and, consequently, was unlikely to re-offend.
The judge sentenced Christian Covaciu to two years, suspended for three years. He noted it was a mid-range offence but he had a strong work history and was “well-established in the country”.
Mr Muntean was sentenced to one year, suspended for three, with Judge Gabbett noting he had addressed his gambling addiction, held steady employment and changed family circumstances.
In sentencing Sabian Covaciu, the judge noted he had a “reasonable” work history and a severe cannabis addiction. He said Mr Covaciu was the fourth person that day sentenced for that type of conviction “following a well-publicised garda investigation in the Tralee area”.
He noted his plea had avoided a complex trial and gave him a three-year sentence for the money laundering, with the last year suspended.
He sentenced him to three years for the drugs conviction, with the last six months suspended, noting the societal harm of the offence and that he was some years older than his co-accused.
Finally, the judge gave him a one-year sentence for the assault, noting he was six years older than the teenage victim. He said Sabian Corvaciu had “asserted his power over her” causing the “loss of her sense of trust, safety and peace”.
All sentences will run concurrently and be backdated to August 31, 2025.
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