Ireland Judge threatens removal in settled Co Meath proceeds of crime case
The Criminal Assets Bureau identified a Co Meath land portfolio at Waynestown as proceeds of crime, alleging it was purchased for €102,000 partly with cash from unknown sources linked to Marcus Sweeney's firm EWM Property Holdings. Sweeney, a 47-year-old restaurateur, is alleged to have directed Evergreen Wealth Management, which accepted €721,000 in cash lodgements from unknown sources between 2014 and 2020, including a €20,000 investment by convicted heroin dealer Brian Grendon in 2015. In January 2023, a High Court judge ruled there was a high degree of probability the land was acquired with crime proceeds, and in March 2023 Sweeney settled the case by handing over 2.78 hectares. In February 2025, the judge threatened to remove Sweeney from court for being a nuisance when he attempted to re-enter the settled matter.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court18 Jan
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The CAB identified a Co Meath land portfolio at Waynestown as obtained through proceeds of crime, alleging EWM Property Holdings purchased it for €102,000 using cash from unknown sources, another investment company, and an innocent investor.
- Sweeney is alleged to be the director and founder of EWM Property Holdings and Evergreen Wealth Management Limited, which accepted €721,000 in cash lodgements from unknown sources between 2014 and 2020.
- Convicted heroin dealer Brian Grendon of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, invested €20,000 in Evergreen in 2015 through his company BG Autos, and the CAB suspects he invested significantly higher amounts.
- Gardaí witnessed Sweeney meeting in 2019 with two men later arrested for possession of nearly €1 million worth of heroin.
- Sweeney was assaulted at a building site in Finglas on 30 January 2020, and a further threat was made on 3 April 2021 when people forced their way into the grounds of his Co Meath home.
- Sweeney was served with a Garda GIM form due to threats to his life.
- Investigation
- Sweeney was interviewed by the CAB in February 2022.
- In court
- In January 2023, Mr Justice Owens ruled in the High Court that there was a high degree of probability the Waynestown site was acquired with crime proceeds.
- In March 2023, Sweeney agreed to hand over 2.78 hectares of land to settle a €100,000 CAB case, and a receiver was appointed over the land.
- In February 2025, Mr Justice Owens threatened to remove Sweeney from court for being a nuisance when he attempted to re-enter the settled case, saying he had made final orders.
- Other details
- Sweeney was assessed for an income tax liability of €189,246 from 2014 to 2019.
- Three individuals were owed €1.2 million according to the affidavits.
39 statements extracted from the articles
- whatEWM purchased the land for €102,000 using cash from unknown sources, another investment company, and an innocent investor. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSweeney is alleged to be the director and founder of EWM and Evergreen Wealth Management Limited. (irishtimes.com)
- whatEvergreen accepted €721,000 worth of cash lodgements from unknown sources between 2014 and 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSweeney and another named individual accepted in a statement to gardaí that the source of cash to Evergreen was not as described by the lodgement dockets. (irishtimes.com)
- whatConvicted heroin dealer Brian Grendon of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, invested €20,000 in Evergreen in 2015 through his company BG Autos. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe CAB suspects Grendon invested significantly higher cash amounts in Evergreen. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí witnessed Sweeney meeting in 2019 with two men later arrested for possession of nearly €1 million worth of heroin. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSweeney is alleged to have an association with other known criminals in Ireland and abroad. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMarcus Sweeney was assaulted at a building site. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatSweeney was once assaulted at a building site in Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatAn affidavit says Sweeney was badly assaulted at a building site in Finglas on 30 January 2020. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA further threat was made to Sweeney on 3 April 2021 when people forced their way into the grounds of his Co Meath home. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatMarcus Sweeney is 47 years old (irishtimes.com)
- whatMarcus Sweeney is a Celtic Tiger restaurateur and socialite (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Cab identified the Co Meath land portfolio as obtained through proceeds of crime (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Cab alleged heroin dealer Brian Grendon of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, invested in Evergreen Wealth Management in 2015 through his company BG Autos (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe assault took place at a building site in Finglas. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereA number of people forced their way into the grounds of Sweeney's Co Meath home. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe site in question is at Waynestown (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe assault took place on January 30, 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe Co Meath home incident happened on April 3, 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe assault was part of intimidation and threats to repay money invested in his company from criminals. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationSweeney was interviewed by the CAB in February 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe details appear in sworn affidavits filed to the High Court in the Criminal Assets Bureau case. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtSweeney agreed to hand over 2.78 hectares of land considered the proceeds of crime to settle a €100k CAB case. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtIn March a High Court judge appointed a receiver over Sweeney's land at Waynestown in Co Meath. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtMr Justice Owens earlier ruled on the CAB application to deem the land linked to the firm the proceeds of crime. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtSweeney responded that the case is not settled as far as he is concerned (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said he had made final orders in relation to the case (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said he had neither hint nor hair of what Sweeney was on about (irishtimes.com)
- courtSweeney then left the court (irishtimes.com)
- otherSweeney was served with a Garda GIM form due to threats to his life. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherSweeney held a meeting with some investors, including a convicted heroin dealer. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAt the meeting, terms for repaying certain investors were agreed. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherSweeney was assessed for an income tax liability of €189,246 from 2014 to 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherSweeney was served with a Garda GIM form, which is served on people with immediate threats to their lives. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThree individuals were owed €1.2 million, according to the affidavits. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherSweeney was assessed to have an income tax liability of €189,246 from 2014 to 2019. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherEWM Property Holdings bought the land for €102k, partly using cash from unknown sources. (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Feb2025Judge threatens Celtic Tiger socialite Marcus Sweeney with removal from court for ‘being a nuisance’
High Court judge Mr Justice Owens threatened to remove Marcus Sweeney from court for being a nuisance when he attempted to re-enter a settled Cab case; Sweeney left the court after the judge said he had made final orders.
accused, Marcus Sweeney, 47, male, named, irish (judged from name)Marcus Sweeney - 28 Jun2023Shamed socialite Marcus Sweeney was assaulted at Dublin building site
Adds details from sworn affidavits: an assault at a building site in Finglas on 30 January 2020, a Garda GIM form served on Sweeney, a threat at his Co Meath home on 3 April 2021, €1.2 million owed to three investors, a €189,246 income tax liability, and the receiver over his Waynestown land.
suspect, Marcus Sweeney, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)Marcus Sweeney - 27 Jun2023Shamed socialite Marcus Sweeney was assaulted and warned of threats to his life
Adds details from High Court affidavits: a 2020 assault at a Finglas building site, a Garda GIM threat notice, a 2021 incident at his Co Meath home, an investors meeting with a convicted heroin dealer, and a €189,246 income tax assessment.
suspect, Marcus Sweeney, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)Marcus Sweeneysuspect, male - 18 Jan2023Celtic Tiger restaurateur Marcus Sweeney ‘up to his oxters’ in organised crime, court told
Judge Owens ruled in favour of the CAB, finding a 'high degree of probability' the Waynestown site was acquired with crime proceeds. The article adds details about Sweeney's alleged role as director of EWM and Evergreen Wealth Management, €721,000 in cash lodgements from unknown sources (2014–2020), Brian Grendon's €20,000 investment in Evergreen in 2015, and Sweeney's 2019 meeting with two men later arrested over nearly €1 million in heroin.
accused, Marcus Sweeney, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)Marcus Sweeney