Cairns crime: Ray Sharkey charged with money laundering in connection with brother Lief Sharkey
A man charged with money laundering was under the influence of his “Svengali-like” older brother, Cairns District Court heard.
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A man charged with money laundering was under the influence of his “Svengali-like” older brother, Cairns District Court heard on Friday.
Mareeba man Ray Strebel Sharkey, 35, pleaded guilty to money laundering recklessly and two counts of falsification of records.
The court heard he used a total of $136,000 over three years to put deposits on three properties.
He used a fake bank statement, a fake screenshot of a bank balance and a fake pay slip to obtain mortgages, the court heard.
His barrister Michael Dalton said Mr Sharkey “really needed to learn how to say no to his brother”.
“He is a Svengali-like character, domineering and controlling,” Mr Dalton said.
Lief Sharkey has been charged with more than a dozen drug, fraud and money laundering offences including buying properties in the name of his brother.
Mr Dalton said his client Ray Sharkey was “a patsy to a degree”.
He had a conversation with Lief about how he’d love to buy a property, and Lief said he could help, Mr Dalton said.
“He didn’t ask anything about the source of the money, didn’t want to know,” Mr Dalton said.
All three properties are the subject of confiscation proceedings.
Judge Dean Morzone, QC, said he accepted Lief Sharkey was the main driver and architect of the plan.
“You were, I accept, second fiddle to a domineering and controlling brother,” Judge Morzone said.
He sentenced Mr Sharkey to two years and three months on the first count, and 12 months on the second count and 12 months on the third count, to be served concurrently.
Mr Dalton had argued his client could be released on parole immediately but Judge Morzone felt otherwise.
He set a parole date of December 19, 2022.
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Originally published as Cairns crime: Ray Sharkey charged with money laundering in connection with brother Lief Sharkey
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