Jim Mansfield jnr joked, after opening one of two suitcases filled with €4.5 million in cash the day after Good Friday 2009, he was “still making money” even while partying the night before, the High Court has been told.
Martin Byrne, former head of security for the Mansfield family, told the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) Mr Mansfield was holding a private party in the group’s main hotel on Good Friday 2009 when several individuals asked at reception for Mr Mansfield.
Mr Byrne said he recognised Freddie Thompson and others, including a man he now knows is Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh. Mr Mansfield said the men were there to make payments on four townhouses and to give them “VIP treatment”, including hotel rooms if they wished to stay, which they did, he said.
The following day, Mr Byrne said he was asked by Mr Mansfield to allow access for a white van into the grounds of Tassaggart House, where Mr Mansfield lived.
When the van’s two occupants were met by Mr Mansfield at the main door, they removed two large suitcases from the van and brought them into the main house, Mr Byrne said.
At Tassaggart House the next day, Mr Mansfield opened up one of the suitcases which had bundles of money inside and said this was paid by the lads who were in the hotel the previous night, Mr Byrne said. Mr Mansfield joked about this and said, even though he was partying, he was still making money.
The Cab’s barrister Shelley Horan read extracts from an interview with Mr Byrne before the court granted orders on Thursday against Daniel Kinahan and Thomas Kavanagh for seizure of a luxury west Dublin property as representing the proceeds of crime. No 10 Coldwater Lakes in Saggart was, the Cab claimed, ceded to the Kinahan organised crime gang after a deal, under which Mr Mansfield jnr was to use the €4.5 million from the gang for property investments, went sour.
