Ireland Case No. 20585Money laundering · Co. Dublin
High Court finds assets linked to Chinese-run money-laundering scheme are proceeds of crime
The Criminal Assets Bureau brought High Court civil proceedings against 13 people over about 50 assets, which it alleges were linked to money laundering by a Chinese organised crime group in Dublin and Wicklow. Gardaí searched several locations in June 2020 after a surveillance operation and seized hundreds of thousands of euro in cash, including about €235,000 from a safety deposit box and about €144,000 and £20,000 from the Tallaght home of Xiaoxia Zheng, a woman, and Jianfei Zheng, a man. In June 2023 the High Court made orders deeming cash, luxury goods and vehicles linked to the Zhengs to be proceeds of crime, and Feng Yun Chen, a woman, consented to orders over three assets. Only three of the 13 people could proceed that week because of service issues, and the judge later found the assets were proceeds of crime on the balance of probabilities and granted orders against Xie Xing Xue, a Chinese man, who did not appear or enter a defence.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court21 Jun
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The Criminal Assets Bureau brought High Court civil proceedings against 13 people over about 50 assets.
- The bureau alleges a Chinese organised crime group laundered millions of euro of drug trafficking proceeds for Irish criminals.
- Where
- Searches included a safety deposit box in Milltown Vaults, Dublin, and a rented lock-up in Bray, Co Wicklow.
- When
- Searches linked to the investigation took place in June 2020.
- Investigation
- Gardaí seized hundreds of thousands of euro in cash in searches at various locations after a surveillance operation.
- About €117,000 in cash built up in a unit opened at Remedy Self Storage in Bray, which the judge said Ms Chen was involved in opening.
- A safety deposit box in Dublin, named as Merrion Vaults in Ballsbridge in one account and Milltown Vaults in another, held €235,000 in cash gathered from 2019 to June 2020, which the judge found Ms Zheng and Mr Xue were involved in opening.
- About €144,000 in cash and £20,000 seized in a June 2020 search of the Zhengs' Tallaght home (given as €144,540 in one account) could not relate to any activity other than crime proceeds or criminal activity, the judge found.
- Charges
- The proceedings are civil applications by the bureau, and no criminal charge is reported in the facts.
- In court
- The judge made orders deeming cash, luxury goods and vehicles linked to the Zhengs to be proceeds of crime, and the Zhengs appeared unrepresented and filed no affidavits opposing the application.
- Feng Yun Chen consented to orders over three assets, including €43,000, an Audi A6 and a Louis Vuitton wallet.
- Only three of the 13 people could proceed that week because of service issues.
- The judge found the assets were proceeds of crime from a money-laundering scheme on the balance of probabilities, and granted orders against Xie Xing Xue for seizure of the safety deposit box money, a car and cash, after he did not appear or enter a defence.
- Other details
- Ms Zheng said some of the money was given to her to buy personal protective equipment to be used in China during the pandemic, and said the Louis Vuitton goods seized at the home did not belong to her.
- Peng Fei He is described as the mastermind of the gang, was jailed in Ireland in 2016 for six years for drug offences, and is believed to be in China.
22 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe Criminal Assets Bureau brought High Court proceedings against 13 people over 50 assets. (irishtimes.com)
- whereSearches included a safety deposit box in Milltown Vaults, Dublin, and a rented lock-up in Bray, Co Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
- whenSearches linked to the investigation took place in June 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí seized hundreds of thousands of euros in cash during searches at various locations in June 2020 after a surveillance operation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationCash of €117,000 accumulated in a unit opened at Remedy Self Storage in Bray, which the judge said Ms Chen was involved in opening. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA deposit box at Merrion Vaults in Ballsbridge amassed €235,000 cash from 2019 to June 2020, which the judge found Ms Zheng and Mr Xue were involved in opening. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationCash of €144,000 and £20,000 seized in a June 2020 search of the Zhengs' address in Tallaght could not relate to any activity other than crime proceeds or criminal activity, the judge found. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThere was €235,000 in the safety deposit box. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSome €144,540 and £20,000 in cash was seized at the Zheng home in Tallaght. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge made orders on a Wednesday deeming cash, luxury goods and vehicles linked to a married couple to be crime proceeds. (irishtimes.com)
- courtXie Xing Xue did not appear in court or enter a defence. (irishtimes.com)
- courtFeng Yun Chen consented to orders disposing of €43,000, an Audi A6 and a Louis Vuitton wallet. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge deemed many designer items, including handbags, wallets and three vehicles, to be crime proceeds on the balance of probabilities. (irishtimes.com)
- courtOnly three of the 13 people could proceed this week because of service issues. (irishtimes.com)
- courtFeng Yun Chen agreed to orders over three assets. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge granted orders against Xie Xing Xue for seizure of the safety deposit box money, a car and cash. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Zhengs appeared in court unrepresented and did not file affidavits opposing the application. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge found the assets were on the balance of probabilities proceeds of crime from a money-laundering scheme. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMs Zheng said some of the money was given to her to buy personal protective equipment to be used in China during the pandemic. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA Chinese crime gang allegedly used a company director, her chef husband and other people to launder money in Ireland for other crime gangs. (irishtimes.com)
- otherPeng Fei He was described as the mastermind of the gang, and is believed to be in China. (irishtimes.com)
- otherZheng said the Louis Vuitton goods seized at the home did not belong to her. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 23 Jun2023Chinese gang leader used ‘unfortunates’ to launder ‘colossal’ sums for Irish criminals, court hears
Reports a High Court ruling in Criminal Assets Bureau civil proceedings against 13 people over about 50 assets. This week the case proceeded against three of them. The searches took place in June 2020.
suspect, Xiaoxia Zheng, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Xiaoxia Zhengsuspect, Jianfei Zheng, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jianfei Zhengsuspect, Feng Yun Chen, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Feng Yun Chensuspect, Xie Xing Xue, named, non-irish (judged from name)Xie Xing Xue - 21 Jun2023Chinese crime group laundered millions for Irish criminals, court hears
Adds the High Court ruling on the Zheng, Xue and Chen orders, Ms Chen's consent to orders, the judge's reasoning on the cash and property, and Ms Zheng's explanation. It also gives the locations of the searches and the vault and storage unit amounts.
suspect, Xiaoxia Zheng, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Xiaoxia Zhengsuspect, Jianfei Zheng, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jianfei Zhengsuspect, Xie Xing Xue, male, Chinese, named, non-irishXie Xing Xuesuspect, Feng Yun Chen, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Feng Yun Chen