Former Anglo chief Seán FitzPatrick arrested in Garda banking probe

09/12/11 8,772 Views 100 Comments

Updated 4.25pm

GARDAÍ IN WICKLOW have this morning arrested the former chief executive and chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Seán FitzPatrick.

FitzPatrick, 63, was arrested at around 8am this morning, is being detained at Bray Garda Station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The arrest is part of the ongoing investigations being carried out by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, into alleged irregularities at Irish financial institutions.

Another man, aged in his 40s, was arrested as part of similar investigations yesterday, and was taken to Irishtown Garda Station for questioning.

He is to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice this afternoon, charged in connection with allegations of deception and theft.

It is understood that that arrest is part of a different line of inquiry, however.

Get our free app for
the iPhone & iPad

Also available in
the Android Market

Short URL

Comments (100 Comments)

Leave a comment

Adrian Nolan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 10 455

Thats made my day.

Reply
- Frank Daly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 7 204
  
  Shame I could only like your comment once Adrian!!!
- Adrian Nolan 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 88
  
  The sad thing is he will be home in time to see his arrest on the six one news.
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 26 44
  
  Why aren’t the politicians arrested? They continue to destroy the country, why only yesterday our elected leader committed another act of treason at the bequest of his European over lords, another betrayal of the Irish people. I see no difference between Ireland’s politicians and Sean Fitzpatrick, they are all liars, thieves and have absolutely no regard for the people of Ireland.
- Clare Ryan 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 10
  
  FOUR…………..duck seanie boy there’s a missile coming.
- Joe Conway 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 7 4
  
  @Magic Kelly – bequest? who died, and whose will are you talking about?
- Dermot Purcell 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 7
  
  Sorry to upset your day Adrian but this is only window dressing to appease the peasents .right about now the only questions being asked of poor seanie is it his deal after lunch
The Baxter 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 8 233

a banker arrested in Ireland … is this April first…… or has seanie not paid his tv licence

Reply
Brian Curran 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 21 127

More waste of time and money. This man will never see the inside of a prison as much as he deserves it. Him, Quinn and the others have so much money hidden away the court cases are a joke to them.

Reply
- Donncha Foley 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 76 48
  
  Moan moan moan. Some people are never happy, even just a little… He is entitled to the same process as everyone else. What is your alternative and what have you done to try and bring it about, apart from being one of the baying mob looking for vengeance just to feel better? If their is no law to convict him, that’s all our responsibility. Free Barabbas!
- Brian Keelty 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 9 76
  
  @ Donncha.. if he were treated the same as everyone else, he’d be in Jail already… They should string him up by the balls and torture him… Anglo staff were directed to loan in excess of 400 million every week, by any means necessary.. This lead to alleged value rising to 150-200% of property values for mortgage purposed… This is first hand information form several friends who worked in there…. Like Madoff in the USA, Seanie should be locked up for life… Alas I feel he may just have a list of “People” who accepted monies from him…..
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 14 15
  
  He is on the fairway with Enda and his arresting officers already.
- Glyn Carragher 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 33
  
  I hope he doesn’t end up in prison, I for one am not prepared to foot the €120000 a year it will cost to lock him up. I would much rather see all his ill-gotten gains confiscated and then have him sentenced to work in an A&E as a janitor moping up the blood of those waiting 16 hours to be seen by a doctor, or at nights working with the SVP working with the people he has condemned to a life of poverty . Let him have a real up close look at the Ireland he helped to create.
- Eileen Gabbett 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 1
  
  While they are at it why not give him free legal aid too
Collie Woods 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 43 30

If they had anything on him he’d be charged. Clutching at straws

Reply
- Keith Maguire 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 11 50
  
  I see you have no idea how the criminal justice system works in Ireland.
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 7 39
  
  I see neither have you Keith. Go into your local Spar and rob 100 Euros from the till, see how long it takes before you find yourself in front of a judge listening to your sentence being called out.
- Rommel Burke 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 14
  
  @ Collie
  And if he didn’t have anything on them he’d be charged.
- Keith Maguire 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 12
  
  Robbing a shop is much easier to prove. But even at that, you would still be arrested, detained and interviewed with all the evidence put to you first. A direction would then be sought for the charge. The sheer scope of what Fitzpatrick is accused of and the size of the investigation means there has to be a lot of preliminary work done before this can happen. Once you do charge someone with a crime you have a limited amount of time to provide them with a book of evidence, something which also requires a lot of time to assemble.
- Derek Richardson 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 1
  
  yes we do the bigger criminal you are the less chance of going to jail, it only works one way against the small and poor
- David Dancey 10/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 1
  
  Premature charging would simply allow him to walk free on the basis of hasty errors no matter how much subsequent evidence was collected. Hoping and praying the wheels of justice grind slowly but exceedingly small.
MJ Farrelly 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 17 72

Its about time. I think to ensure this sort of treason doesnt happen again an example should be made of him. Hmm i wonder can we hang him?

Reply
- Patrick Kennedy 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 9
  
  While I’m not for executing anyone, I’m all for a more clear definition of treason and severe punishment for it!
Eric Gilligan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 5 53

hurrah! look at him run :P

Reply
- Joan Featherstone 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 22
  
  That photo is from last time he was arrested, I think!
- Frank Devenney 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 1
  
  Stairway to heaven ?
Jim Mackessy 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 3 51

The poor man ….. however will he afford bail……..

Reply
- Glyn Carragher 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 6
  
  legal aid no doubt
Paul Maguire 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 9 52

Well Well Well – this is a turn up for the books, although like a few have said above, the chances of him actually being charged and/or doing some time are remote at best. The elite generally always get away scott free whilst he rest of us pour eejits suffer. Bring back public flogging or the stocks so we can chuck rotten tomatoes at him.

http://magslife.com/2011/12/08/facebook-home-of-the-idiot/

Reply
John Rice 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 2 61

now we,ll see what kind of justice,money can buy

Reply
Jennifer Roche 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 3 68

This news has cheered me up no end

Reply
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 17
  
  Why? To see your country bail out another banker? You people are deluded if you think this guy will ever do time, I suspect he has a very long dossier of shame with the names of those who benefited from little brown envelopes
Mary Marmion Kilcoole 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 5 31

if he applied for free legal aid this could take a while………………………………yawn.

Reply
Titus d 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 10 88

When the government need some PR after a budget they must think “lets send the Guards round to Seanies”

Nothing will happen, he won’t be fined, he won’t go to prison. He’ll have a cup of tea with the Gardai and be on the 18th hole this afternoon

Reply
- Joe Sixtwo 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 44
  
  You took the words out of my mouth! It is very unlikely that he will ever become a prison bitch for some physco in the near future.
- Shane O'Connor 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 25
  
  Ditto. Was about to say the same thing. It’s an empty political gesture. There is a bigger political play behind the scenes here that we don’t know about preventing any of these guys facing charges, for fear of what the canaries might sing when they are caged.
- Ann Illing 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 12
  
  They could keep him in overnight so he can get an early start on the fairway tomorrow morning !
- Declan Carroll 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 13
  
  U said it, Shane. All the “favours” are being called in. How else can it be that they seem to be getting away with it.
- Killian Maher 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 6
  
  If you have any evidence that the government are interfereing with gardai investigations please do share. Also “everyone knows” generally doesn’t qualify as evidence.
Jeffery Potbelly 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 5 17

……This was a short time after selling Enda some baubles :)

Reply
Dee 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 2 36

This is just hype he’ll be out playing golf in a few days.

Reply
Annmarie Sheehan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 5 67

Can we for a moment dream that he will actually pay for his sins!

Reply
Keith Brady 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 7 29

waste of time, he’ll be out before the end of the day

Reply
Joan Featherstone 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 7 31

Don’t get too excited he wont be charged with anything, out in time for a round of golf. B.stard.

Reply
Lou Brennan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 11 47

Arrest all current bank managers who don’t pass on the rate cut while you’re at it

Reply
Dan Davis 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 3 81

Muist be bad news coming from the government later today…

Reply
- Joan Ryan 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 48
  
  What a cynical mind you have Dan ! ;0)
  
  ( and I am sure you are right !)
- Rommel Burke 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 30
  
  Spot on! we’re being buttered up for something here methinks. If Seanie didn’t have an ace or two up his sleeve we would have seen some kind of justice long before now.
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 6 20
  
  Nah, just appeases the sheep after a tough budget
Brian Keelty 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 4 37

He’ll not go to jail, How was it that the gardai only raided his home 18 months after the fall of Anglo…. Did they really believe a man as smart as Seanie would have left papers incriminating himself about his home……….. Put the Anglo Debt in his family name and let the bondholders go after him!!!

Reply
Tigerisinthezoo 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 2 38

Is this a stunt after the euro deal failed?

Reply
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 17
  
  No, its a stunt after the budget and run up to another EU referendum
neuromancer 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 3 20

You can feel the arrogance from the golden buttons on his jacket. Humbug.

Reply
Tigerisinthezoo 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 4 35

Yesterday a Chicago politician was jailed for trying to sell his seat in some role. Maddoff was jailed. If in Ire they wouldnt be behind bars. Pigs will fly.

Reply
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 8 35
  
  In Ireland they would run for election, worse still the would be elected…The Irish are…Irish
John Cleary 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 25 9

Anybody carping about this being a political stunt should remember that Willie McAteer was also arrested in November.
Some of you out there baying for a lynching at the crossroads might like to scan Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act (under which Fitzpatrick was arrested)to remind yourselves that we live in 2011, not 1711. True, he probably will walk straight onto the first tee, but we have a lot more to be worried about.

Reply
- Dan Davis 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 6 29
  
  Willie McAteer arrested: Nov 1
  $1bn Anglo bond repaid: Nov 2
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 42
  
  Magic Kellys birthday: Nov 3
Lou Brennan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 8 53

Go straight to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect 200

Reply
- Desmond Byrne 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 4
  
  You mean 200,000
- Eddie Condon 10/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 2
  
  You mean 2,000,000,000
William O'Shea 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 7 32

This pawn is only ‘in check’, he will never be removed from the board……… expect a lot more moves like this in an attempt to appease/butter up the gullible Irish electorate that something positive is being done… in the lead up to Germany’s ‘Master Treaty’ for Europe which will have to be referred to the Irish people. Who knows we might even get some favourable financial breaks (as we’re such good Europeans) as the faux crisis reaches endgame! And when we’ve passed the latest ‘good thing’ treaty, then we’ll know the meaning of checkmate!
Sin a bhfuil agus Guten Morgen.

Reply
Ray Smith 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 4 22

As far as I know there are only two ways that they could have arrested him today.1 he is to be charged with something or 2. new evidence has come to light and they can question him on this.I think he is being questioned by the Fraud squad and the the office of the director of corporate enforcement. The DPP has several files on him already.I think it will be easier for them to charge him with some breech of company law or some type of reckless trading.These would carry stiff penalties and I think would be easy to prove.We will have to wait and see.We are better off waiting and seeing this done correctly rather than having a rush job where he can get off or jailed and appealing conviction suing us and costing us more money.

Reply
- Frank Buffets 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 4
  
  What constitutes a rush job exactly? Same time scale as a tribunal 20 years plus, if you wait any longer there will be no senior bank official left in the country. Mr Fitzgerald finds himself in the unfortunate position of not following his colleges and emigrating. I would bet my house on him not spending any time in prison.
Jerry Renehan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 7 34

Great news hopefully this is the beginning of the end of these crooks.

Reply
- Magic Kelly 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 27 7
  
  mbaaa baaaa
Cillian Lynch 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 11 65

They should beat him a little or pepper spray him. Say he was resisting arrest

Reply
- Lamb 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 6 38
  
  I smiled there for a minute Cillian and a warm filled the cockles of my heart.
Aidan Gill 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 13 44

Was he not arrested before?
Media stunt this to take the attention away from Enda bending over for the EU.

Reply
- William O'Shea 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 18
  
  In a nutshell………….
Anita McNerney 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 17 66

I think it’s comical that Sean Fitzgerald has been arrested AGAIN. He will be out in no time after having tea and biscuits whereas in another garda station somewhere they’ll lock up a mother for having no tv licence or cut off someone’s electricity bill for non payment. Absolutely comical

Reply
- Niamh Byrne 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 3
  
  Fitzpatrick…(:
Paul Maguire 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 3 23

Let’s hope though it’s not all just for show. It might be perverse to wallow in the misfortune of an individual but hell, it sure would make us feel a little bit better about ourselves if one of these charlatans was brought to book.

http://magslife.com/category/political-sideswipes/

Reply
Devrajan Srinivasan 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 5

I wonder why the top brass at another bank don’t face the music. Perhaps it is too scandalous. Further details by searching in Google for “Foley Fagan Hanna Butler”

Cheers

The Common Informer

Reply
- Paul Maguire 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 4
  
  Are they the new Crosby Still Young and Nash?
  
  http://magslife.com/category/political-sideswipes/
Ken Forde 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 11 17

They had a nice full Irish for him and said we will send an old file of to the DPP but don’t worry about it .Nothing will come of it off to the golf corse with you and have a nice day.More money wasted.

Reply
Lynton Hartill 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 9 13

Arrested and without handcuffs eh! Prob give him the pink furry ones laying around the station. Lol

Reply
Randy savage 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 5 36

lets face facts folks this is just to keep us public happy, very little will happen. Its like the stack of cards. If he gets pulled then the whole bunch will fall, too many politicians tied up in this fraud so he’ll walk.

Reply
- Fiona O'Sullivan 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 7 13
  
  Totally agree but in fairness it will only keep us happy for a short while. If he does get convicted and jailed thats more money the fecker will cost the taxpayer. As if he hasn’t cost us enough. We are in a no-win situation with that man. Walk free and it’s a major injustice, jail him and we end up paying for his dinners. It’s a joke. And the politicians are a disgrace too. Too many of them up to their eyeballs in this whole banking scandal and are still swanning around with their fat pensions. It’s so sickening. And great timing.. what a smokescreen!!
Alan Shaw 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 27

Maybe he could spoof €200bn out if the Germans if we let him loose on them!

Reply
Frank2521 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 6 10

The Garda are not that stupid – they don’t want to be seen as fools so I think they must have something solid to convict him. It’s the judge’s that would concern me as when he goes in front of the judge, he may well have Donne business with the judge as well.

Reply
- Stephen Mc Partlin 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 13
  
  Well he ‘came to Bray Garda Station by arrangement ‘ this morning . Eh, Seanie would you mind popping by tomorrow morning and we’ll arrest you. We’ll try cause you as little fuss as possible if we can . And by the way would you ever text David Drumm in the states and ask him to come back as well for a few days. Just to show his face that’s all .
- Dario Fo 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 5
  
  Frank, pr exercise…there will be council and senior council sitting in his lap.
Norman Hunter 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 10

Funny how Seany makes the news when something big is happening ie Europe treaty change.What was it last time church report.

Reply
HELLO SPRUIKER 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 14

Is there’s a bit of jailing going on ?
Where the feck is Neary,Cowen and Ahern ?
I’m sure they wouldn’t mind sharing a cell.

Reply
Henry Sanner 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 4

too little too late

Reply
Niamh Byrne 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 2

Is he still in does anyone know?

Reply
corky2004 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 2 5

Arrested ‘by appointment’ apparently! They shoulda just done what the yanks done to Osama….

Reply
- Rommel Burke 09/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 1
  
  how does one qualify for arrest “by appointment”? Genuinely curious.
Kevin McCarthy 09/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 4

Can we not get him on treason. And lump in all the rest of them while we are at it.

Reply
Frank2521 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 9

The Bankers and developers should be in jail just like the drug dealers. Their behaviour was so similar to the dealers ie. get the people addicted and then let them crave more, knowing it would eventually destroy them. Just look at the similarities 1. Destroys families with suicide 2. Families left homeless 3. Children suffer from anxiety and suffer fear 4. Children taken from schools and moved around 5.arguements in the home over money. 6. Depression among the rest of the family. Etc etc.
Yet the Bankers and developers are still members of Golf clubs and their families are all well looked after. The taxpayer and welfare recipients are going to pay for this for generations. So I say treat them and their families like you would the drug dealers as the damage from their behaviour is the same.

Reply
Eddie Condon 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 2

!!!!!Scum of the Celtic tiger!!!!!

Reply
Eddie Condon 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 2

Scum From The Celtic Tiger

Reply
Ciaran Flynn 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 2 5

was he brought in wearing handcuffs or just invited into the station for detention?

I saw a teenager in cuffs today on suspicion of stealing from Pennys.

Reply
Bernadette Dunne 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 1

It is Seanie Fitzpatrick…………… I wonder who will get jail with him there us so many to choose from ?????????????????????!!?!!

Reply
Ciaran Keegan 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 3

easy to see that in Ireland steel from a shop and you and get handcuffed, steel from a country and you get treated like a like a friend who just got into a spot o bother… again it proves that WHITE COLLAR CRIME PAYS , and pays well in Ireland ….

Reply
- Ardo Ci 10/12/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 1
  
  Rather than ‘a show arrest’ If I had a pike his head would be on it outside “dole” Eireann for what he has done. And that goes for all the idiots complicit in the downfall from politicians to quangos to civil servants. But most of all to the worst of the worst even worse than Fitzpatrick – the Accountants!
Dublin City 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 1 1

Hehe… I saw Section 4 and automatically thought Drunk in a public place!? Different Act though!

Reply
Dee 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 1

Just heard he released…what time does he tee off at……This country there’s people that have not got two cents to rub together. The only charges in this country are bank charges.

Reply
Ciaro 10/12/11 #

Report this comment 0 1

What’s his address?

Reply

Add New Comment

Log in to comment:

Share This Comment on Facebook or Twitter

Most Popular Today

1	Column: Parents bringing their children to be kneecapped. Yes, this is Ireland. 9,117 61

2	Applause in auction room as woman buys back brother’s repossessed home 5,953 46

3	Poll: Which side were you on in the Saipan debate? 4,182 55

1	Business Insider spoke to someone who bought $100m in Facebook shares on Friday. He was angry. 4,199 21

2	Innovation? Controversy? What’s on the table at today’s meeting of EU leaders? 796 17

3	12 things you never knew you could do with your iPad 20,413 28

1	Here’s the view from the new Croke Park skyline 2,025 10

2	Expert views: What chance have Ireland got? 1,168 13

3	For good this time: Murphy retires from international rugby 1,079 3

1	VIDEO: Jedward take on the Eurovision – Part II 3,287 40

2	Man dressed as dead mother for six years in welfare fraud 2,627 6

3	‘Gay’ penguin couple await the birth of baby in Madrid 2,510 17

Trending Tags

EDZERBAIJOHN

The 9 at 9: Wednesday

VIDEO: Jedward take on the Eurovision – Part II

Jedward qualify for Eurovision final in Baku

REFERENDUM

What do YOU want to know about the referendum?

NTMA: No access to ESM would mean no access to markets either

Large majority of voters in favour of referendum on ESM treaty

IRELAND

Human rights court rules that prisoners should be allowed to vote

For good this time: Murphy retires from international rugby

Expert views: What chance have Ireland got?

RTÉ

Mullen tells RTÃ� critics to ‘stop calling for heads’ in Reynolds dispute

Mullen tells RTÉ critics to ‘stop calling for heads’ in Reynolds dispute

The Daily Fix: Tuesday

Taoiseach to address the nation ahead of Fiscal Compact referendum

MURDER

Double killer hands himself in after 12 years on the run

Murder investigation launched into Waterford death

Jury sworn in at Michaela McAreavey murder trial in Mauritius

JEDWARD

Poll: Will you watch the Eurovision Song Contest?

Jedward face 1:30am performance in order to make Eurovision final

The 9 at 9: Tuesday

About Us

Corrections

Report Content

Policies

Please note that TheJournal.ie uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies policy.

News images provided by Press Association and Photocall Ireland unless otherwise stated. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography unless otherwise stated. Wire service provided by Associated Press.

Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, submissions or preferences. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, posts, comments and submissions available. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Switch to Mobile Site

Former Anglo chief Seán FitzPatrick arrested in Garda banking probe