Shamed socialite Marcus Sweeney was once assaulted at a building site in Dublin as part of the intimidation and threats against him to repay money that was invested in his company from criminals, we can reveal.
We can also reveal how the Celtic Tiger restaurateur - who recently settled a €100k case with the Criminal Assets Bureau by agreeing to hand over 2.78 hectares of land considered the proceeds of crime - was served with a GIM (Garda Information Message) due to the threats to his life.
We also reveal that following the threats and intimidation, Sweeney - who was described by a High Court judge as “up to his oxters” in organised crime - held a meeting with some of his investors including a convicted heroin dealer who is the head of the Organised Crime Group known as ‘The Family.’
The revelations appear in sworn affidavits filed to the High Court as part of the Criminal Assets Bureau’s case against Sweeney and his company EWM Property Holdings Limited which was the target of CAB following an extensive investigation.
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In one of the affidavits, a senior member of the CAB explained the background as to how he believes the 45-year-old former partner of tragic model Katy French became involved with criminals.
“It is believed that Marcus Sweeney, a once legitimate businessman, developed money problems and as a result began building relationships with individuals heavily involved in organised crime and money laundering,” the senior member of the CAB stated in his affidavit.
The affidavit also stated “Marcus Sweeney was served with a Garda GIM form. A Garda GIM form is served on people who have immediate threats to their lives.”
The senior member of the CAB said Sweeney, when interviewed in February 2022 by the CAB, he “made references to money losses, specifically losses not appearing on bank statements and the stock market being highly volatile.”
The senior member of the CAB stated: “It is believed that a number of people laundered the proceeds of their criminal conduct through the accounts of Evergreen.” Sweeney was a director of Evergreen Wealth Management Ltd.
And because he was unable to repay money that was invested in cash from criminals, his life “has been threatened and he is living in fear” an affidavit dated May 2022 stated.
The affidavit outlines an incident where Sweeney stated he was “badly assaulted in a building site in Finglas on January 30, 2020.”
The affidavit stated he would not name the individuals or give any further information other than saying “a small Chinese male was involved.”
Sweeney received facial injuries which he told the CAB member “it took a couple of weeks to heal.” Just over a year later, on April 3, 2021, a further threat was made to Sweeney when a number of people forced their way into the grounds of his Co Meath home.
“They were looking for Marcus Sweeney who was away at the time,” the affidavit stated. "Marcus Sweeney’s father approached them and was told that Marcus owes money and if they don’t get it they’ll get him.”
Following the threats, intimidation and fearing for his safety, the original poster boy for the lavish days of the Celtic Tiger held a meeting with some of the investors.
“The purpose of the meeting is believed to be to reduce the threats to their persons and property,” the affidavit stated, adding “At this meeting terms for the repayment of certain persons’ investments were agreed.”
Three individuals were owed €1.2million, affidavits showed. The affidavit stated that the third unidentified investor was believed to be the convicted drug dealer.
The affidavits also state that Sweeney, who once ran Il Pomo D’Oro restaurant on Dublin’s South William Street, was also assessed to have an Income Tax Liability for €189,246 from 2014 to 2019.
“Assessments were served on him on March 31, 2022,” the affidavit stated. In March a High Court judge appointed a receiver over Sweeney’s land at Waynestown in Co Meath.
And earlier, the CAB alleged EWM Property Holdings purchased the land for €102k using, in part, cash from unknown sources, another investment company and from an innocent investor.
Mr Justice Owens previously ruled on the application from the CAB seeking to deem the land linked to the 45-year-old’s firm the proceeds of crime.
During that ruling in January, Mr Justice Owens described the Celtic Tiger restaurateur as “up to his oxters” in organised crime.
Sweeney had a relationship with Katy French, a model who died tragically from a cocaine overdose just days after her 24th birthday in December 2007.
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