Fr Ted referenced in alleged Athy money laundering case

A MAN charged with alleged money laundering after €1,740 will have to return to court in May for a full hearing on the case.

Patryk Pienar (23), Ardrew Meadows, Athy appeared in Athy District Court recently after his arrest by appointment that morning by Garda Aisling Manning who said “he made no reply to charge”.

“Is he South African?” asked Judge Desmond Zaidan on hearing the name, but Garda Manning said he wasn’t.

“The DPP has ruled summary disposal (to be dealt with in the district court),” she added.

The formal charge comes under the Money Laundering and Terrorism Act 2017 after it was allegedly uncovered on 23 June 2023 on Revolut.

“Judge, the injured party got a call from a man in Cork claiming to be the AIB, and the injured party gave over control of his account,” explained Garda Manning.

“So he claimed the money was only resting in his account?” smiled the judge, referencing one of the most famous lines from Father Ted.

“A friend had asked him to put the money into his account,” she said.

“This so-called friend is a bigger fish?” asked the judge.

“Oh, much bigger,” confirmed the investigating garda. She offered no objection to bail, so long as he signed on every Tuesday in Athy Garda Station. 

“He has already surrendered his Polish passport,” she said. 

The judge remanded him on continuing bail until 26 May for the full hearing as he was pleading not guilty.