Money laundering investigation launched in Sark and Guernsey – 24 November 2012

11 Dec 2012

A large-scale money laundering investigation is taking place into the activities of two residents of Sark, one of the islands in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.　

Michael Doyle and his wife Belinda Lanyon appeared in court following a raid in Sark.　 Doyle was charged with operating a fiduciary business without a licence from 2004 to 2012 (having been refused a licence in 2004) and with perverting the course of justice by disposing of evidence, and Lanyon with perverting the course of justice.　

They were both remanded in custody.　 Prosecuting advocate Chris Dunford told the court: “It is suspected that [Doyle and Lanyon] are operating as nominee directors in three hundred companies”.　

He also said that customs officers had placed a probe in the pair’s vehicle and picked up Doyle saying, “Come on then let’s get rid of this evidence – if they find it we’ll be in trouble” and Lanyon commenting, “We need to put the papers down at Vazon – these are overflowing.”　

Officers went to the Vazon bins but they had been emptied and only some documents were recovered.