Quinn family gambling company searched in garda probe
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The offices of the online gambling firm started by the former billionaire Seán Quinn and his family were searched by gardaí as part of an investigation .
ardaí in the north-west region conducted searches of QuinnBet’s offices in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, along with the business’s accountancy firm.
Stephen Kelly, Sean Quinn’s son-in-law and managing director of QuinnBet, said he did know why the offices were searched but is “confident” the online gambling business is not the target of the Garda inquiry.
“I confirm that a search was conducted of our business premises and accountants’ firm in March and we fully co-operated,” Mr Kelly said in a statement to the .
“We have not been informed what the matter relates to.
"However, we are satisfied it does not relate to the licensed business of QuinnBet and have not heard anything further since.”
A statement from An Garda Síochána said: “As part of an ongoing investigation, gardaí conducted a number of searches of commercial premises in the Cavan area recently.
"An Garda Síochána does not discuss the identity of commercial premises/organisations that may be searched as part of ongoing investigation.”
According to a security source, the search of the premises arose from the Garda’s ongoing investigations into the circumstances behind the campaign of intimidation against the companies formerly owned by Mr Quinn.
The inquiry does not relate to QuinnBet, the source confirmed.
Two detectives were assigned to investigate the history of the attacks two years ago following the alleged abduction and attack on Kevin Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, since renamed Mannok.
The investigation is understood to have broadened out to include several lines of inquiry.
Investigators are also examining allegations Seán Quinn made to gardaí a year ago about Quinn Industrial Holdings, which is now known as Mannok. He was hired as a consultant to the company on a salary of €500,000 until the relationship soured dramatically and he parted company with the business in 2016.
Mr Quinn made a 35-page statement to detectives last August.
QuinnBet was launched in 2017, and is now partly owned by Brenda Quinn, Seán Quinn’s youngest daughter, with remaining shares held in trust for his grandchildren.
The company has reported significant increases in profits and revenue this year.
Seán Quinn and his son Seán Jnr were directors of Belbridge Consultancy — the company that owns QuinnBet — until May last year. Seán Quinn is not now involved in the company,
Seán Quinn Snr lost control of a business empire that spanned glass, cement, insurance and hospitality to the former Anglo-Irish Bank over debts of €2.3bn in 2011.
Last year Seán Quinn’s five children issued a legal threat against QIH. now known as Mannok, demanding shares in his former businesses.
Sean Jnr, Ciara, Colette, Aoife and Brenda Quinn have sent a solicitor’s letter to eight directors of Quinn Business Retention Company (QBRC) demanding they transfer shares to the family or face “proceedings”.
The children claimed that 22pc the company holds in the manufacturing companies founded by their father belongs to them.
The directors of the company referred the legal letter to An Garda Síochána.
