Rags and riches: How an Irish charity became the focus of a criminal investigation

Liberty Recycling is a well-known Irish charity associated with second-hand clothes and the bulk export of rags, and not with luxury goods.

But all that changed last week when the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau revealed that it had carried out raids on several premises associated with people involved with the charity and seized Rolex watches, jewellery, luxury cars and Louis Vuitton handbags.

It emerged that the raids were part of an extensive investigation into allegations of money laundering at the Dublin-headquartered charity.

The long-established social enterprise, founded to help former addicts enter employment, is big business. In 2024, the last year for which figures are available, its income from charity shop sales and the bulk export sale of textiles was €3.6 million.

With its accounts now frozen, the High Court on Tuesday appointed a provisional liquidator in an effort to keep the business going and secure the jobs, in the short term at least, of its more than 60 employees.

Now, as Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains, a criminal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds held by the charity is expected to involve arrests.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.