Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
So you know it's not a crime to be fascinated by all things criminal. And if you do like delving into the underworld, why not join us for a special live show on March 27th at the Cork Opera House. We'll be talking about the making of a cartel and all the wild and crazy stories that happened along the way. So why not join us for this special live show? Tickets from CorkPodcastFestival.ie
There was a lot of that kind of stuff that came out about his family background too. But, you know, even if there's any kind of questions over someone's character, you know, he's still seen as innocent in terms of the allegations against him about my gain. And he's been very strong in that.
And even he went as far as to tell us that, you know, he said anybody is capable of harming anyone depending on the circumstances. And Pat said, you know, but you didn't harm my gain. He said, no, absolutely not.
I'm Nicola Tallent and this is Crime World, a podcast about criminals, drugs and the sins of the underworld. If you like this podcast and want to learn more about crime, go to our new website www.crimeworld.com for stories, extras and podcast subscriber specials.
An American man has been re-arrested in connection with the murder of Kerry farmer Mike Gain. Former US soldier Michael Kelly is currently being questioned by Gardaí after further information came to light as part of the murder probe. Today I'm speaking to Eimear Rabbit about Kelly and his previous comments about Mike Gain's death.
I'm Niall Donald and this is Crime World, a podcast from crimeworld.com.
It's like you've made it very clear, Michael, all the way through this, that you've said from the very beginning that you're innocent and that you were framed. Uh-huh. Are the people who are involved in this capable of doing something like that? Yeah. Well, it is. What did you... What is it that you... My father was in the CIA. Your father was in the CIA? Yeah, my father was in the CIA, in fact.
I didn't know that. Yeah. Is he still alive? No, he died, didn't he? He died? Yeah. Okay. So did you know stuff? Did your motor tell you stuff? Uh, not directly, no, but...
So that's Michael Kelly speaking to Prime World's Patrick O'Connell last year. The reason we're playing that, obviously, is because Michael Kelly has been re-arrested in connection with the murder of Michael Gain, Mike Gain, the Kerry farmer. What happened this morning and what have the guards said about it so far?
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Chapter 2: What recent developments occurred in the Mike Gaine murder case?
No, and he sort of spoke about repeatedly, he probably spoke about this bit more than anything, about why he had to leave the US. And the narrative he had was that he sort of got in dispute with these alt-right guys, was how he describes them. He thinks of himself as a patriot, doesn't he, Michael Kelly? And he served in the US Defence Forces, though there was some dispute about
what had happened there exactly. And he seems to claim that he was being targeted with violence. Was he saying shots were fired at his house or his dog was threatened and things like that and that they wanted to get him and that he subsequently went to Ireland and he basically said the threats were following him over there.
But also it does seem to be relevant that there was a family breakdown before he left the U.S.,
Yeah, because he seemed to actually suggest that criminal elements may have followed him here and been responsible for Mike Gaines' death. He said that to Pat O'Connell because he's obviously completely denied any involvement and that's why he keeps giving these interviews. But yeah, there was also, you know, court documents.
Obviously in America, as you said before, court documents are a lot more accessible than they are here. So the breakdown of his marriage was... was laid bare really. And, you know, obviously he had accused, he had made bizarre claims about his wife, that she was some kind of... Well, he said she was practicing witchcraft.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, exactly. And, you know, the judge had found that he had difficulty distinguishing facts from fiction as part of this case. He said that wasn't true in his interview with us. So, you know, there seems to be, I don't know if he had children. I don't think he might be estranged from them as well. So there was a lot of that kind of stuff that came out about his family background too.
But, you know, even if there's any kind of questions over someone's character, you know, he's still... seen as innocent in terms of the allegations against him about my gain. And he's been very strong in that. And even he went as far as to tell us that, you know, he said anybody is capable of harming anyone depending on the circumstances. And Pat said, you know, but you didn't harm my gain.
He said, no, absolutely not.
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Chapter 3: Who is Michael Kelley and what is his connection to the case?
It appears that Bommer couldn't do his time. In a scheme that wouldn't have been out of place in a Guy Ritchie movie, Kavanagh tried to shave some time off his 21-year sentence for drug smuggling by orchestrating a plot from behind bars. Hoping to dupe authorities into handing him a lighter sentence, he tried to lead the National Crime Agency officers to a weapons stat.
Instead, he was rumbled and slapped with another six years. We spoke to some of the NCA officers who were involved in taking Bomber down, including one who was tasked with following the money. It was a job that took him across international borders.
This particular case, I would say, was complex because we had overseas assets in Ireland and in Spain, Lanzarote, and there was also the inquiries when pulling together the investigation as well. But there was Dutch hauliers involved. There was drugs coming in, say, from the Netherlands. They were coming in from Spain.
So there was quite a lot of international partners we were involved with when we were pulling this together. So the actual value of the drugs, which was agreed on between the prosecution and defence eventually, was £10,470,833.33. And that was for, it was 3,750,833.33 of cannabis and 6,720,000 pounds worth of cocaine.
The benefit figure for Thomas, with all the other assets involved, we agreed on... just over 12 million of benefit from his criminality. And we started off somewhere around 15, 16 million, so we've come down about 4 million. And the majority of that is the difference in the value of the drugs.
Knowing the significance of him, it was a really great result to get him convicted and now to get the confiscation order against him as well and have that benefit hanging over him.
Officers who went through the rows of designer gear in Bommer's gated mansion were astonished at the sheer scale of luxury goods. The drug proceeds had been splurged on luxury and security in almost equal measure. The place was sealed, reinforced doors, bulletproof glass and cameras covering every approach. Inside was a display of wealth that would rival that of Imelda Marcos.
Money was lavished on Montclair jackets, a shoe collection worthy of a Saudi princess, and a watch collection fit for a Premier League dressing room. The list goes on. 30 pairs of identical Armani jeans, Gucci labels, a collection of handbags that a Kardashian would be proud of.
This was how the cartel's profits were laundered, through spending sprees and rolls of cash handed across the shop counters in Harrods. The definition of ill-gotten gains was hanging in wardrobes in his luxury mansion in Tamworth. Cartel members know the risk of peddling drugs across international borders.
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