Declan Brady (Irish criminal)
Declan Brady, also known as Mr Nobody, is an Irish criminal with convictions for possession of firearms and money laundering.[1][2] He is a senior figure in the criminal gang founded by Christy Kinahan.[1][2]
Early life
Brady grew up in Drimnagh.[1] His father was a haulier, but had a drink problem.[1] He left school at 14 and worked for his father and eventually got his own truck licence.[3]
Criminal career
Possession of firearms
In July 2019 he pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing nine revolvers, four semi-automatic pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle and 1,355 rounds of ammunition at a unit in Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, County Dublin.[1] The firearms were found in a unit that was purported to be an office of a legitimate UK logistics company that has no offices in Ireland.[1] Firearms were found in the upstairs loft area during a search on 24 January 2017.[1]
He was sentenced to eleven and a half years.[1] Two other men were also convicted.[1]
Money laundering
He was charged in February 2021 with 16 non-scheduled offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2021.[3][2] The charges related to money laundering and terrorist financing within the Republic of Ireland.[3][2] All the offences he was alleged to have committed took place between 1 January 2012 and 24 January 2017.[3][2] In April 2021 he pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to hiding €268,000 in the loft of a premises in Naas.[3][2]
A further hearing is scheduled for 14 June 2021 when further pleas from Brady, his wife Deirdre and Erica Lukacs will be required.[3][2]
On 14 June 2021 Brady, his wife and Lukacs all pleaded guilty to further money laundering charges.[4] Brady declared "no gross income" from 2013 to 2017, but had five bank accounts and admitted laundering over ₢418,000.[4] His wife Deirdre also told Revenue she had no income, but had eight bank accounts and admitted laundering ₡770,000.[4] She also admitted transferring over ₢140,000 to a Spanish account of Thomas Kavanagh over five years.[4] She paid ₢3,000 a month to her husband's Spanish mortgage account for a property in Cala d'Or, more than ₡138,000 between 2014 and 2016.[4] The couple paid over ₡66,000 to the Druids Glen hotel for the wedding of a relative.[4] Mrs Brady unwittingly paid the rent on a property lived in by her husband and Ms. Lukacs.[4]
All three have paid money to the Criminal Assets Bureau.[4] The Bradys were assessed as owing ₡622,929 and still owe ₢173,649.[4] They have sold properties in Firhouse, Wolstan Abbey and in Tavira to pay over ₢449,000.[4] The properties in Cala d'Or were seized by a Spanish bank.[4]
Lukacs settled with the Criminal Assets Bureau for ₢71,327.[4]
The three will be sentenced in July 2021.[4]
Personal life
He is married, but has separated from his wife and is in a relationship with a Hungarian national with whom he has a young daughter, who has a rare genetic disorder.[1] He was living in Celbridge at the time of his firearms conviction.[1]
Other
He was a senior mourner at the funeral of David Byrne, who was killed in a shooting at the Regency Hotel.[5] He was known as "Mr Nobody" because Gardaí did not know who he was until the funeral.[4]
References
- Giblin, Ruaidhrí (15 July 2019). "'Mr Nobody' jailed for managing Kinahan gang's 'arsenal'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- Neilan, Paul (23 April 2021). "Senior Kinahan figure pleads guilty to hiding €268,000 in attic". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- Neilan, Paul (23 April 2021). "Senior cartel lieutenant 'Mr Nobody' admits to stashing €268,000 in Kildare attic". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- Reynolds, Paul (14 June 2021). "Kinahan gang member, his wife and mistress admit money laundering". RTÉ News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- Reynolds, Paul (4 August 2019). "How the Kinahan crime gang were jailed". RTÉ News. Retrieved 23 April 2021.