Sinn Féin TD backs colleague heading charity in money laundering probe

Sinn Féin politician Matt Carthy has backed his party colleague Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who chairs a Dublin charity facing a money laundering probe, the Irish Examiner, Belfast Telegraph, and Ireland Live News reported. Ó Snodaigh, a Dublin TD, serves as chairman of Liberty Recycling, a social enterprise that focuses on recycling clothes. The Irish Examiner noted that there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Ó Snodaigh, and he is not facing a criminal investigation. [1][2][3]

The High Court moved to place Liberty Recycling under independent control by appointing a provisional liquidator, according to the Irish Examiner. The action follows concerns raised by the Charities Regulator regarding oversight by the directors of the organisation. [1]

The developments follow recent police actions against the charity. As FTMQ News reported earlier, detectives from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau conducted nationwide searches targeting the Dublin-based organisation, which operates clothes recycling shops across Ireland in locations including Cork, Limerick, and Waterford. [5][6]

During those searches, Irish police confiscated luxury items and vehicles with a combined value of 300,000 euros, as FTMQ News reported earlier. The seized goods included two BMW X5 cars valued at 250,000 euros, along with jewellery, Rolex watches, and Louis Vuitton bags worth 40,000 euros. [5][6]