Documentary on fugitive Mayo solicitor asks where did the money go?
ONE of the loose ends that still exists with the Michael Lynn story is the question of what happened with the money, virtually none of which has been recovered.
When the Mayo born solicitor fled Ireland in December 2007, he’d clocked up €80m in loans from high street banks, much of them fraudulently secured via multiple mortgages. And he owed another €12m to private investors who had paid out for unbuilt apartments abroad.
A new two-part documentary series beginning on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player tonight highlights new links involving a Bulgarian business associate of Michael Lynn's setting up companies in Ireland relating to property development, and those company accounts being accessed by Mr. Lynn's wife, Brid Murphy, withdrawing cash in the last year.
Michael Lynn: The Fugitive reveals the true story of an epic hunt to bring one of Ireland’s most notorious fugitives to justice told directly by the reporter who tracked him down, his victims, and former employees. The two-part series is directed by Trevor Birney and produced by Fine Point Films for RTÉ.
Irish Mail on Sunday Journalist Michael O'Farrell and photographer Sean Dwyer ended up hunting Michael Lynn down all over the world, from Portugal to Bulgaria to a hellhole prison in Brazil.
Viewers will hear for the first time the recording of Michael Lynn admitting: "I was on my own personal drugged up ambition, fuelled by the desire to succeed. I was the Celtic Cub."
It's still the only time that we can hear Michael Lynn's voice in public, because the interview he agreed to do that day is the only interview he's ever given publicly.
The documentary makers also spoke with a number of people who lost money through their dealings with Lynn.
Local Mayo Councillor Michael Loftus also spoke of Michael Lynn: "Unfortunately, Michael has brought shame to our community. When you mention Crossmolina today, what's the first thing people will say to you? That's where Michael Lynn was from.
“Michael Lynn was to us very successful. He was somebody who was on the up, who was doing so well in Dublin, and that's what we wanted to see. We always wanted to see people doing well in our community. And it is only sad to think that he went the wrong way with it.
!He started to build a hole that he actually went into and couldn't get out of without doing more dishonesty. Your name is so important. And Michael’s name is muck."
Michael Lynn is still under investigation for money laundering. And if he is found guilty of money laundering, that carries a 14 year sentence.
Watch Michael Lynn: The Fugitive beginning tonight (Monday) at 9.35 p.m. on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.