Gerry Humphreys, an organic beef farmer with an address at Brittas House, Brittas, Murroe, Co Limerick, has been placed on the Specially Designated Nationals List by the US Department of the Treasury, following an investigation into the PacNet Group.

The Canadian Group, which has its European base at Shannon Airport, is alleged to have scammed vulnerable and elderly victims through mail fraud systems under the cover of lottery wins and psychic readings.

The Shannon office of the PacNet group has also received in the region of €400,000 from the Shannon Regional Development Agency in the past.

Criminal organisation

The US Department of Treasury has now sanctioned the PacNet Group and described it as “a transnational criminal organisation”.

As revealed in the Limerick Leader newspaper, a number of Irish individuals are understood to be under investigation by US authorities, with Humphreys being included on the sanctions list, alongside some of the most prolific terrorists and traffickers in the world, such as Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

The organic beef farmer, who is based in Brittas, Co Limerick, is also a pilot and involved in the Foynes Air Show in the area.

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