Wednesday 28 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. 6886Theft · Co. Dublin

Michael Lynn convicted of Celtic Tiger theft of almost €18m from six financial institutions

Michael Lynn, a 55-year-old former solicitor, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 10 counts of stealing around €17.9 million from six financial institutions between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007. He had pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft, and the first jury failed to reach a verdict, so the case was heard a second time. In that second trial the jury found him guilty on 10 counts and could not agree on the remaining 11. Lynn was remanded in custody after the verdicts and is due to be sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan on 15 January.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court18 Dec
  5. Convicted20 Dec
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Michael Lynn, a former solicitor, was convicted of 10 counts of stealing around €17.9 million, almost €18 million, from six financial institutions; the prosecution had alleged theft of around €27 million from seven institutions.
  • The institutions named were Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland and Irish Nationwide Building Society.
When
The theft counts relate to the period between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007.
Where
The offences were alleged to have been committed in Dublin, and the trial was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Cause
The prosecution case is that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties while the banks did not know other institutions were also lending.
Other details
Lynn says he had off-the-books agreements with the banks to use the loan money for property developments abroad, and that the banks knew of multiple loans on the same properties, which he said was custom among bankers.
Charges
  • Lynn pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft.
  • The jury returned guilty verdicts on 10 of the 21 counts, and could not agree on the remaining 11 counts, with the verdicts returned on a Wednesday reported on 20 December 2023.
In court
  • The first jury failed to reach a verdict, so the case was heard a second time.
  • Judge Martin Nolan charged the jury on day 33 of the second trial, and 12 jurors were chosen at random from an extended panel of 15 to deliberate.
  • The jury deliberated for six and a half hours across two days after an eight-week trial.
Sentence
  • Lynn was remanded in custody after the verdicts were handed down.
  • Sentencing by Judge Martin Nolan is set for 15 January.
28 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMr Lynn is on trial accused of the theft of around €27 million from seven financial institutions. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe jury returned guilty verdicts on 10 of the 21 charges against Lynn. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatLynn was convicted of 10 counts of stealing around €17.9 million from six financial institutions. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe prosecution case was that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties without the banks knowing other institutions were also lending. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe financial institutions involved were Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland Ltd and Irish Nationwide Building Society. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatFormer solicitor Michael Lynn's multimillion-euro theft trial had to be heard twice after the first jury failed to reach a verdict. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe trial was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe theft counts relate to the period between October 23rd, 2006 and April 20th, 2007. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged thefts were committed between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenLynn pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft in Dublin between October 23rd 2006 and April 20th 2007. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe prosecution case was that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties while banks were unaware that other institutions were also providing finance. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeMr Lynn has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeLynn had pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeLynn was found guilty on 10 of the 21 charges against him. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Martin Nolan gave his charge to the jury on day 33 of the trial and sent jurors home to start deliberations. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtTwelve jurors were chosen at random from an extended panel of 15 to carry out the deliberations. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury could not agree on the remaining 11 counts on the indictment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe verdicts were returned in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury deliberated for six and a half hours across two days after an eight-week trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThis was the second trial in the case, after the first jury could not agree on verdicts. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtLynn was convicted of stealing almost €18 million from six financial institutions at an eight-week second trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceLynn was remanded in custody after the verdicts were handed down. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceA sentence date was set for 15 January. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceLynn has been remanded in custody until sentencing by Judge Martin Nolan on January 15th. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe prosecution's case is that Mr Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties, where banks did not know other institutions were also lending. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMr Lynn says he had off-the-books agreements with the banks to use the loan money for property developments abroad. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe financial institutions involved are Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland, and Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS). (irishtimes.com)
  • otherLynn testified that the banks knew he had multiple loans on the same properties and that this was custom among bankers. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 Dec2023
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Forged signatures, ‘secret deals’ and a Brazilian prison: The full story of Michael Lynn’s Celtic Tiger theft trial

    Feature on the full story of the trial. Reports the conviction on 10 of 21 counts, the jury's failure to agree on 11, and sentencing set for January 15th. Says Lynn was accused of theft of about €27 million from seven institutions, which differs from the €18m and six institutions in the conviction.

    convicted, Michael Lynn, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Lynn
  2. 20 Dec2023
    Convictedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Michael Lynn found guilty of stealing almost €18m from six financial institutions

    Reports the jury verdicts in the second trial: guilty on 10 of 21 theft counts, no agreement on 11 counts, remand in custody and sentencing set for 15 January.

    convicted, Michael Lynn, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Lynn
  3. 18 Dec2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Jury to start deliberations in multi-million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn

    Covers the jury charge and the start of deliberations in the trial, which is on day 33. The alleged thefts took place between October 2006 and April 2007.

    accused, Michael Lynn, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Lynn