Ireland Provisional liquidators appointed to Dublin charity in money laundering probe
Liberty Recycling, a Dublin-based charity incorporated in 2001 that runs a clothes recycling initiative providing employment and training to people affected by drugs, is under investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Charities Regulator for alleged money laundering. Searches were carried out on 20 and 21 October 2026 at locations in Dublin, the east and southeast, during which two BMW X5 cars worth approximately €250,000 and luxury goods including Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and jewellery worth approximately €40,000 were seized. The charity is chaired by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh, though the Charities Regulator stated there is no evidence he was involved in wrongdoing. On 29 October the High Court appointed provisional liquidators to the charity and its bank accounts were frozen. The investigation is ongoing with no arrests or charges made, though sources say a very small number of people are under suspicion and arrests are expected in the next phase.
- Reported22 Oct
4 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Liberty Recycling, a Dublin-based charity incorporated in 2001, operates a clothes recycling initiative providing employment and training to people affected by drugs, with nine shops nationally, a sorting depot and around 95 employees.
- The charity is suspected of laundering the proceeds of donations for private gain, with suspicious transactions comprising substantial international transfers of funds routed through the charity.
- The charity set up three separate non-charity entities, including one for a Department of Social Protection scheme, one for VAT treatment of clothing sale proceeds, and one involved in buying and selling motor vehicles.
- Where
- The charity's offices are in Bluebell Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, and it operates shops in several counties around the country.
- When
- Searches were carried out on 20 and 21 October 2026 at locations in the Dublin, Eastern and Southern Regions.
- Cause
- Gardaí are investigating whether money intended to fund the charity's services has been misappropriated and whether some expenditure effectively amounts to money laundering.
- Investigation
- Detectives from the Money Laundering Investigation Unit at the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau are carrying out the investigation in conjunction with the Charities Regulator.
- Gardaí seized two BMW X5 cars worth approximately €250,000 and luxury goods including Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and jewellery worth approximately €40,000.
- Gardaí are separately investigating the purchase of a Porsche in 2025 and a 2026 BMW jeep registered in the name of Liberty Developments but in possession of a senior staff member.
- In court
- The High Court appointed provisional liquidators to the charity on an ex-parte basis on 29 October 2026 and the charity's bank accounts were frozen.
- Other details
- The charity received more than €2 million in funding from the Department of Social Protection in recent years.
- The Charities Regulator stated there is no evidence that Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Linda Behan or Brian Behan were involved or had knowledge of wrongdoing.
- Sources said a very small number of people were under suspicion and the investigation is expected to involve arrests in its next phase.
68 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAengus Ó Snodaigh is the chairman of Liberty Recycling Ltd (rte.ie)
- whatThe charity is suspected of laundering the proceeds of donations for private gain (rte.ie)
- whatThe charity operates a clothes recycling initiative to provide employment and training to local people affected by drugs (rte.ie)
- whatÓ Snodaigh signed off on the establishment of two non-charity entities in his capacity as chairperson of Liberty Recycling (rte.ie)
- whatÓ Snodaigh signed a letter confirming no objection to a third entity involved in buying and selling cars (rte.ie)
- whatAnother BMW and a Porsche had been bought in the name of the charity (rte.ie)
- whatLuxury handbags and jewellery worth over €300,000 were seized following garda raids (rte.ie)
- whatA Porsche was purchased in 2025 (rte.ie)
- whatA 2026 BMW Jeep was registered in the name of Liberty Developments (rte.ie)
- whatLiberty CE has three supervisors and 35 participants and is not a registered charity (rte.ie)
- whatLiberty Global Exports Company Limited is not a registered charity (rte.ie)
- whatLiberty Developments' financial statements say it is involved in buying and selling motor vehicles and machinery (rte.ie)
- whatLiberties Recycling is a textiles recycling social enterprise that aims to assist people affected by drugs (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe charity operates nine charity shops nationally, a sorting depot, and has around 95 employees (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe charity was incorporated in 2001 (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe charity has shops in several counties around the country (rte.ie)
- whereThe searches took place at locations in the Dublin, Eastern and Southern Regions. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereGardaí carried out searches at locations in the Dublin, Eastern and Southern Regions. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe seizures took place during searches in Dublin, the east and southeast on Tuesday and Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe charity's offices are in Bluebell Industrial estate in Dublin 12 (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe searches were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe searches took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- causeGardaí are investigating whether money intended to fund the charity’s services has been misappropriated. (irishtimes.com)
- causeSome of the charity’s expenditure is under investigation on suspicion that it effectively amounts to money laundering. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe assets were confiscated on suspicion their purchase was funded with money that should have been spent on the charity's core activities. (irishtimes.com)
- causeOne entity was established to participate in a Department of Social Protection scheme (rte.ie)
- causeThe other entity was established due to issues regarding VAT treatment of clothing sale proceeds (rte.ie)
- investigationThe charity is under investigation by gardaí and the Charities Regulator for money laundering (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized two BMW X5 cars worth around €250,000 (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized luxury goods including Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and jewellery with a total estimated value of €40,000 (rte.ie)
- investigationThe garda investigation has been ongoing for some time and is continuing (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized two BMW X5 cars with a total estimated value of €250,000. (dublinlive.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí also seized Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches, and jewellery with a total estimated value of €40,000. (dublinlive.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation is into a Dublin-based charitable organisation. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is carried out in conjunction with the office of the Charities Regulator. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe investigations are ongoing. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is being carried out by detectives from the Money Laundering Investigation Unit at the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSources say the inquiry is still at the stage of probing allegations and gathering evidence, with no findings reached. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe Charities Regulator is assisting with the Garda investigation and is engaging with the charity’s trustees. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí searched an accountant's office as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering at Liberty Recycling. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation is expected to involve arrests in its next phase. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDetectives from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau are reviewing the charity's records of funds raised and outgoing money. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSources said a very small number of people were under suspicion. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe economic crime bureau's money laundering investigation unit is carrying out the investigation, which also involves the Charities Regulator. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe Garda confirmed the investigation centres on a Dublin-based charitable organisation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are investigating suspicious transactions comprising substantial international transfers of funds routed through Liberty Recycling (rte.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is focused on suspected laundering of proceeds of crime through the charity's bank accounts (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized two BMW X5s (rte.ie)
- investigationTwo BMW X5 cars, watches and designer bags were seized during searches on 20 October (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí are investigating the purchase of a Porsche in 2025 (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí are separately investigating the purchase of a 2026 BMW jeep registered in the name of Liberty Developments but in possession of a senior staff member (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí carried out raids on premises used by the charity last week as part of a money laundering investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe court appointed provisional liquidators to the charity on an ex-parte basis (rte.ie)
- courtThe charity regulator submitted legal documents to the High Court (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe High Court approved the request for liquidators to be appointed (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe High Court appointed provisional liquidators to the charity. (irishtimes.com)
- otherTwo BMW X5 SUVs valued at €250,000 and designer goods worth €40,000 were seized. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe seized items included Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and jewellery. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe charity is chaired by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh, though there is no suggestion he is under investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Charities Regulator described the situation as a complete failure of governance for a charity (rte.ie)
- otherThe charity had set up three separate but related entities which were not charities (rte.ie)
- otherBank accounts belonging to Liberty Recycling have been frozen (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe Charities Regulatory Authority stated there is no evidence that Ó Snodaigh, Linda Behan or Brian Behan were involved or had knowledge of wrongdoing (thejournal.ie)
- otherÓ Snodaigh met with the liquidators on Tuesday (thejournal.ie)
- otherFine Gael members of the PAC want the Charities Regulator and the Department of Social Protection called before the committee. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe charity received more than €2 million in funding from the Department of Social Protection in recent years. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe charity is chaired by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who is not personally subject to investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe committee is expected to discuss the request in private when it next meets on November 5th. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 31 Oct2026Liberty Recycling: Fine Gael asks PAC chair to summon Charities Regulator and others
Reports that Fine Gael members of the PAC asked the chair to summon the Charities Regulator, the Department of Social Protection and the charity's leaders. Adds that the High Court appointed provisional liquidators and that the charity received over €2 million in departmental funding.
- 29 Oct2026Charity's bank accounts frozen as gardaí investigate alleged money laundering
Adds details on the High Court petition by the Charities Regulatory Authority, the freezing of bank accounts, the focus of the investigation on senior personnel and suspicious international transfers, the seizure of two BMW X5s, watches and designer bags on 20 October, the €34,705 found at a senior staff member's home in 2025, the investigation into a Porsche and a 2026 BMW jeep, and the High Court's approval of liquidators.
- 29 Oct2026SF TD signed off on two non-charity entities, court told
Reports High Court evidence from the Charities Regulator that Ó Snodaigh signed off on two non-charity entities and a letter for a third, that the regulator is concerned about the charity's operations and bank account, and that provisional liquidators were appointed. No one is reported as charged.
suspect, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, named, irish (judged from name)Aengus Ó Snodaighsuspect, Philip Moloney, named, irish (judged from name)Philip Moloneysuspect, Anthony Geoghegan, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Geoghegansuspect, Linda Behan, named, irish (judged from name)Linda Behansuspect, Sean Cassin, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Cassin - 23 Oct2026Accountant’s office searched as gardaí investigate alleged money laundering at charity
Details the search of an accountant's office, the seizure of two BMW X5 SUVs (€250,000) and designer goods including Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and jewellery (€40,000) in Dublin, the east and southeast, the involvement of the Charities Regulator, and that arrests are expected in the next phase.
- 22 Oct2026BMWs, Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches seized amid charity money-laundering allegations
Details of the searches and seizures carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday, including the specific assets taken (two BMW X5s, Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches, jewellery), the scope of the investigation across Dublin, Eastern and Southern Regions, and confirmation that no findings have been reached.
- 22 Oct2026Cars and jewellery seized as part of Dublin charity money laundering probe
Reports the specific items seized during the 21–22 October searches: two BMW X5 cars (€250,000) and Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches, and jewellery (€40,000).
- 22 Oct2026SF TD is chair of charity probed over money laundering
Reveals that Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh is the chair of the charity under investigation; details of seized items including two BMW X5s and luxury goods; confirms the investigation is ongoing and that Ó Snodaigh has not yet been contacted by gardaí.
suspect, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, male, named, irish (judged from name)Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Changed after publication
facts outlets added, removed or correctedrte.ie, 29 Oct 2026: SF TD signed off on two non-charity entities, court told
- AddedGardaí are investigating suspicious transactions comprising substantial international transfers of funds routed through Liberty Recycling.
- AddedThe High Court was told the investigation is focused on the suspected laundering of the proceeds of crime through the Charity's bank accounts.
- CorrectedWho is identified as a director of Liberty CE Scheme Project Company Limited: the old text read as Sean Cassin being 'a director', the new text states Mr Ó Snodaigh (along with the four others) 'is a director'. (was Mr Ó Snodaigh along with four others Philip Moloney, the CEO of the charity, Anthony Geoghegan, Linda Behan and Sean Cassin, a director of Liberty CE Scheme Project Company Limited, now Mr Ó Snodaigh - along with four others: Philip Moloney, the CEO of the charity; Anthony Geoghegan; Linda Behan and Sean Cassin - is a director of Liberty CE Scheme Project Company Limited)