Stefan Muntean, a Romanian national with an address at Meadowbrook, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, was handed a three-year sentence by Judge Keenan Johnson at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. This Foreigner had 6 PPS Numbers, got Thousands on a Welfare Fraud, Ireland a Soft Touch.

The accused, who listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, did not address the court.

Passing sentence, Judge Johnson said the money laundering offence attracted a headline prison term of seven years. Taking into account his guilty plea and the mitigation, he reduced it to five years and six months. However, he suspended two and a half years on condition that Muntean did not reoffend for five years. A concurrent two-year term was imposed for the PUP fraud.