By Eleanor Burnhill
A 23-year-old man, Kevin Daniel Andrei, appeared before the Criminal Courts of Justice this week following his arrest in a Garda investigation into darknet markets and cryptocurrency-related money laundering.
Andrei, who resides at Drynam Avenue in Swords, is facing three charges under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act, which involve laundering illicit proceeds through various cryptocurrency platforms. The charges stem from transactions conducted between March 2021 and June 2024.
According to Detective Garda Ciaran Byrne from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB), Andrei was arrested at Kevin Street Garda station, where he was cautioned. He did not respond to the charges when brought before the court.
The charges detail that Andrei allegedly concealed and disguised the origin of 42 transactions on the Binance exchange, totaling over €34,000, between March 2021 and September 2022. Additionally, he faces charges related to over €22,000 in transactions through the Wirex platform, as well as the concealment of more than €227,000 in 1,800 Revolut transactions conducted between February 2021 and June 2024. Authorities claim that Andrei knowingly handled the proceeds of criminal conduct during these periods.
At the court hearing, it was noted that Andrei is currently unemployed. He was granted bail with several conditions, including reporting to Swords Garda Station three times a week, surrendering his passport, and refraining from applying for any new travel documents. Further restrictions include a ban on engaging in cryptocurrency transactions and having any contact with other individuals linked to the case. Andrei is also prohibited from making public statements about the case on any social media platforms.
Andrei’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 3, where he will await directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In connection with the same investigation, two other individuals—a 49-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman—were also arrested earlier this week. They have since been released without charge, and a file is being prepared for the DPP’s review.
