Episode 938: Three leaders of ‘The Family’ gang arrested in major Ghost hack update
24 March 2025 - 31 minsThe three top tier members of The Family - Ireland’s biggest organised crime gang - are in custody after a major operation by gardaí this morning as a direct result of the 'Ghost' hack.
Armed with a treasure trove of evidence of drug trafficking and money laundering officers from the Garda Drug and Organised Crime Bureau are now hoping that the Director of Public Prosecutions will order prosecutions in the country’s first case centred on encrypted phones.
Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Ghost, The Family, and the future of Irish policing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wife killer Colin Whelan found working with vulnerable women
A notorious killer who strangled his young bride for her €500,000 life insurance policy has landed a job as a chef at a training centre for vulnerable people. Colin Whelan is granted day release from an open prison to travel to the centre, where women accessing support services were not told about his horrific past. Niall talks to Crime World’s Patrick O’Connell about Whelan’s brutal murder of his wife, Mary Gough, and coming face-to-face with the killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 mins
21 September Finished
Exposed: Scandals that Rocked the Irish State
Cover-ups, Garda corruption, secrets and scandals that rocked the Irish State have been brought together in a new book by one of the country’s top investigative journalists. Frank Connolly broke story after story that led to tribunals and inquiries, exposing a culture of bribery, fraud and abuse of power. Nicola is joined by Frank Connolly to talk about his new book, Exposed: Scandals That Rocked the Irish State. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
55 mins
21 September Finished
Christy Keane refused bail over €70k cocaine charges
Limerick veteran Christy Keane has been refused bail as the Director of Public Prosecutions seeks for his case to be heard before the Special Criminal Court. The 65-year-old who is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply faces 10 years in prison if found guilty. Nicola speaks with Niall Donald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 mins
18 September Finished
Kinahan hitman Imre Arakas’ boss busted in police phone hack
The boss of a Lithuanian mob on the Costa Del Crime is set to go on trial sensationally accused of making hundreds of millions dealing drugs and hiring out a network of hitmen including Imre Arakas, who was arrested in Ireland. Wheelchair-bound Sergejus Beglikas may seem an unlikely mafia boss, but police will say he was a kingpin of Marbella who provided killers for mobs including the Kinahan mafia. Nicola speaks with Niall Donald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 mins
18 September Finished
Bill Chawke to be moved to open prison just weeks after sentencing for violent assault
Jailed Bill Chawke is to be transferred to an open prison in coming weeks to serve out his sentence for his part in a hotel brawl. His sister Alison who got 12 months in prison for the same incident served just four weeks behind bars. Nicola is talking to Eimear Rabbitt about the siblings who made the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 mins
17 September Finished
Irish suspect linked to McCarthy-Dundon gang due in court in Cyprus over hitman-for-hire plot
An Irishman has been arrested as part of an investigation into a bizarre assassination plot foiled by an undercover cop who infiltrated a major “violence-as-a-service” network. The 33-year-old from Limerick is in custody in Cyprus, as details emerge of an extraordinary Nordic network using disposable young hitmen. Nicola talks with Eamon Dillon about the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 mins
17 September Finished