Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6476Money laundering (suspected) · Co. Dublin

Company linked to jailed ex-solicitor Michael Lynn negotiated €10m housing deal

Michael Lynn, a former solicitor and property developer, was convicted in December 2023 following a second trial of stealing about €18 million from six financial institutions during the property boom, and was sentenced to 5½ years with credit for time served in Brazil. The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau is investigating whether he is using Irish companies and property deals to launder money he stole, including a company linked to him that negotiated a €10 million State-financed housing deal in north Dublin in 2021 before abandoning it. Gardaí carried out dawn raids in January at a Co Wicklow house where Lynn's wife and family live. The latest reported development is that the GNECB has raided five premises and frozen bank accounts holding more than €2 million.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Michael Lynn, a former solicitor and property developer, was convicted of stealing about €18 million from six financial institutions during the property boom.
  • A company under Garda investigation for links to Lynn negotiated a deal with the housing charity Respond in 2021 for a State-financed development in north Dublin valued at €10 million.
  • The deal was abandoned when the company sought permission from Dublin City Council to add a further floor to the planned apartment block.
Where
The planned development was in north Dublin, and the site was bought in 2021 and valued at about €2 million.
When
The company sold the site to an unconnected Irish builder for an unknown price in October 2023.
Cause
The investigation concerns suspected money laundering through Irish companies and property deals.
Investigation
  • The GNECB is investigating whether Lynn is using Irish companies and property deals to launder money he stole from Irish banks.
  • Gardaí carried out dawn raids in January at a Co Wicklow house where Lynn's wife and family live, and the GNECB has raided five premises and frozen bank accounts holding more than €2 million.
  • Gardaí are exploring whether Lynn kept some of the stolen money and tried to launder it through the Irish property market.
In court
Lynn was convicted in December 2023 following a second trial.
Sentence
Lynn was sentenced to 5½ years, with credit for time served in Brazil.
Other details
Bulgarian businessman Yavor Poptoshev is a director of eight Irish companies set up between 2019 and 2023.
9 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA company under Garda investigation for links to Michael Lynn negotiated a deal with a housing charity in 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe deal was abandoned when the company sought permission for a larger development. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe GNECB is investigating whether Lynn is using Irish companies and property deals to launder money he stole from Irish banks. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe GNECB has raided five premises and frozen bank accounts containing more than €2 million. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí carried out dawn raids in January on the Co Wicklow house where Lynn's wife and family live. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí are exploring whether Lynn kept some of the stolen money and is trying to launder it through the Irish property market. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtLynn was convicted in December 2023 following a second trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceLynn was given a sentence of 5½ years, with credit for time served in Brazil. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBulgarian businessman Yavor Poptoshev is a director of eight Irish companies set up between 2019 and 2023. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 24 Feb2024
    Otheririshtimes.com, first report
    Firm linked to jailed ex-solicitor Michael Lynn negotiated €10m deal involving State agency

    Reports a Garda money laundering investigation linked to Michael Lynn, who was sentenced to 5½ years, and details the Resi Quantum Solutions deal with housing charity Respond, the raids and frozen accounts, and the companies under examination.

    convicted, Michael Lynn, 55, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Lynn