The charges are related to the sale of a loan book held by Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency (NAMA)
Frank Cushnahan
The trial of two prominent NI business figures accused of fraud over a ‘NAMA’ loan deal is to start later this month, a court heard today (Tuesday).
Frank Cushnahan (83), of Alexandra Gate in Holywood, Co Down, and Ian Coulter (54), of Templepatrick Road in Ballyclare, Co Antrim, deny all charges against them. The charges are related to the sale of a loan book held by Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) which was set up by the Irish Government to deal with toxic property loans after the Republic of Ireland’s banking crisis in 2008. NAMA’s Northern Ireland loan book was sold to a US Investment fund in 2014. Mr Cushnahan, a business consultant and former member of NAMA’s Northern Ireland advisory committee, is charged with fraud for allegedly failing to disclose information to NAMA between April 1, 2013 and November 7, 2013.
Ian Coulter
He is also charged with an offence of fraud by false representation on April 3, 2014. Mr Coulter, a solicitor, is alleged to have made a false representation to a law firm on or around September 11, 2014. He is also charged with making an article in connection with a fraud, namely a £9m invoice, on or about August 13, 2014 and two counts of concealing or transferring criminal property between September 15, 2014 and December 1, 2014. At Belfast Crown Court today (Tuesday), senior prosecution counsel Jonathan Kinnear KC said the trial was ready to proceed. He told Madam Justice McBride: “The trial is listed to start on September 22.
“In terms of trial readiness, the trial is effectively ready. Everything that was required to be done has been done.” Mr Kinnear added that “a rough provisional timetable” for the running order for witnesses during the trial has also been completed. “We are working on the basis that we are starting this trial on September 22 unless Your Ladyship informs us otherwise,” said Mr Kinnear. The trial is expected to last up to eight weeks.
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