- Michael Lynn (Disgraced Former Solicitor, Ireland):
- Background: Michael Lynn was a former solicitor and property developer in Ireland, notorious for his involvement in a multimillion-euro theft scandal during the Celtic Tiger era. He operated a legal practice, Michael Lynn & Co Solicitors, and was associated with property ventures through his company, Kendar Holdings.
- Criminal Conviction: Lynn was convicted in December 2023 of stealing approximately €17.9 million from six financial institutions (National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland, and Irish Nationwide Building Society) between October 2006 and April 2007. He obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties, including his €5.5 million home in Howth, without informing the banks of overlapping loans.
- Sentencing: In February 2024, he was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The headline sentence was 16 years, reduced to 13 years for mitigating factors (e.g., no previous convictions) and further adjusted to account for 4.5 years spent in a Brazilian prison, credited as 7.5 years due to harsh conditions.
- Appeal: Lynn’s appeal to reduce his sentence was rejected in May 2025 by the Court of Appeal, with Mr. Justice John Edwards describing the thefts as “cynically, knowingly, and intentionally” perpetrated, noting Lynn’s “arrogance” and “hubris” in leveraging his solicitor status to facilitate the crimes.
- Extradition and Prison Experience: Lynn fled Ireland in 2007, was arrested in Brazil in 2013, and extradited in 2018 after fighting extradition for over four years. He claimed to have suffered PTSD from witnessing violence, including a decapitation, in a Brazilian prison.
- Professional Fallout: The Law Society investigated his practice in 2007, leading to its closure and Lynn being struck off the roll of solicitors in 2008. His actions brought the profession into disrepute, and he owed over €80 million to banks and investors when he left Ireland.
- Defense Claims: Lynn maintained that the banks were aware of his multiple loans, citing “custom and practice” during the Celtic Tiger era and alleging agreements with bankers like Michael Fingleton of Irish Nationwide. These claims were rejected by the jury.
Lynn Never Showed Remorse, Sources Claim, Millions Stashed in Foreign Accounts?
Posted by 
Who Watches the Watchers? 