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. 7586Money-laundering · Co. Dublin · 14 Oct 2025

Couple jailed over €383,090 cash money-laundering

Ihor Samotos, a 32-year-old Ukrainian man, and Sabina Kolukhonova, a 34-year-old Ukrainian woman, were caught by gardaí after a cash handover at Gulliver's Retail Park, Santry, Dublin, on 14 October 2025, when €383,090 in cash was recovered from their car (one article gives €380,000). Samotos, who lives in Leitrim, was said to have got involved in a money-laundering operation for an organised criminal gang, and both pleaded guilty to one count of money-laundering. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of nine and a half years for Samotos, reduced to five and a half years, and gave Kolukhonova 20 months. Both sentences were backdated to their October 2025 custody, and the sentencing, reported on 4 July 2026, is the latest development.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced4 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Gardaí recovered €383,090 in cash from the back of a car; one article gives the amount as €380,000.
Where
The cash handover took place at Gulliver's Retail Park in Santry, Dublin, which one article describes as a car park in Santry.
When
The incident occurred on 14 October 2025.
Cause
Gardaí were tipped off to a cash handover, and surveillance gardaí saw Samotos receive a box of cash from a third party.
Other details
  • Samotos is a 32-year-old Ukrainian national living in Leitrim, and Kolukhonova is a 34-year-old Ukrainian woman who was a passenger in the car.
  • Samotos had limited work opportunities, was not getting enough hours at a car wash, and went online looking for ways to make more money.
  • Samotos got involved in a money-laundering operation for an organised criminal gang and said he did not feel able to back out.
  • The verification process involved Samotos sending a photo of his trousers and shoes and a photo of a €5 note with the serial number visible.
  • The couple came to Ireland separately after war broke out in Ukraine and started a relationship here, and neither has previous convictions in Ireland or Ukraine.
  • Kolukhonova has a young child.
  • The third party who handed over the cash is still before the courts.
Charges
Both pleaded guilty to one count of money-laundering.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Martin Nolan presided over the sentencing.
Sentence
  • Samotos received a headline sentence of nine and a half years, reduced to five and a half years, and Kolukhonova was sentenced to 20 months.
  • Both sentences were backdated to the date they were taken into custody in October 2025.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA total of €383,090 in cash was recovered from the car (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe cash handover took place at Gulliver's Retail Park, Santry (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 14 October 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBoth pleaded guilty to one count of money-laundering (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of nine and a half years for Samotos, reduced to five and a half years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceKolukhonova was sentenced to 20 months in prison (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceBoth sentences were backdated to the date they were taken into custody last October (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSamotos is a Ukrainian national living in Leitrim (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSamotos had limited work opportunities and went online looking for ways to make more money (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSamotos got involved in a money-laundering operation for an organised criminal gang (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe verification process involved Samotos sending a photo of his trousers and shoes and a photo of a €5 note with the serial number clearly visible (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThey have no previous convictions in this jurisdiction or in Ukraine (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThey came to Ireland separately after war broke out in Ukraine and started a relationship (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSamotos was working for a car wash but was not getting enough hours to make a living (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherKolukhonova has a young child (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe third party who handed over the cash is still before the courts (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Couple jailed after gardaí seize €383,000 in cash from car

    Full sentencing report: Samotos received a headline sentence of nine and a half years reduced to five and a half years; Kolukhonova received 20 months. Both sentences backdated to their October 2025 custody. Details of the two-step verification process and the organised criminal gang's role were given in evidence.

    convicted, Ihor Samotos, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishIhor Samotosconvicted, Sabina Kolukhonova, 34, female, Ukrainian, named, non-irishSabina Kolukhonova