Louth woman given suspended sentence for being a money mule
A woman who was used as a money mule for the transfer of €10,000 into her bank account, was particularly vulnerable at the time, as she was living in homeless accommodation after her own home had been petrol bombed
A woman who was used as a money mule for the transfer of €10,000 into her bank account, was particularly vulnerable at the time, as she was living in homeless accommodation after her own home had been petrol bombed, Drogheda Circuit Court was told last week.
Janice Judge (44) of Irish Street, Ardee pleaded guilty to having the money in her account knowing it was the proceeds of crime at Bank of Ireland, Laurence Street, Drogheda on November 9th 2021.
Last Thursday the court heard that the victim of the smishing scam, who lives in Kilkenny, received a text message purporting to be from Bank of Ireland about suspicious activity on his account, which asked him to click on a link.
He logged out when he didn't see anything unusual, but the court heard the fake site that appeared was designed to harvest his details.
The bank spotted the fraudulent activity and rang him within 13 minutes and was able to freeze the account and recall the €10,000 two weeks later.
The defendant was arrested by arrangement in Drogheda on January 31st and told gardai "a lad" she used to know had offered her €500 to allow her account to be used.
She added she was in a vulnerable situation at the time as she was living in homeless aid after her home had been petrol-bombed.
The Defence counsel said his client had lived an uneventful life until her home was attacked in 2018 and she now suffers from insomnia and anxiety and has been diagnosed with PTSD.
The court also heard that since 2022 she has worked for a major Irish charity and is also undergoing online training - with a view to becoming a healthcare assistant.
Her lawyer stressed that, unusually, nobody is at a financial loss - apart from Ms Judge who had lost her bank account and never received the €500 she had been offered.
Judge Sinead McMullan noted the defendant had not come to garda attention in the five and a half years since the incident.
She imposed an 18 month sentence, suspended in full on the defendant entering a good behaviour bond.