Dublin Civil Servant Charged with Leaking Confidential Information to Foreign Intelligence
Civil servant accused of leaking confidential information to foreign ‘handlers’, court hears
Image: The Irish Times
Yevgen McKeeffe, a 45-year-old civil servant in Dublin, has been accused of leaking sensitive government information to foreign handlers. Arrested at Dublin Airport while attempting to flee, he faces serious charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, with potential additional charges under the Official Secrets Act.
- 01McKeeffe was arrested at Dublin Airport with a one-way ticket to Turkey, allegedly to meet a foreign contact.
- 02He is accused of unlawfully accessing and transferring confidential government data, which could endanger national security.
- 03Payments of approximately €250-€260 were allegedly made to McKeeffe for the leaked information, deposited into his mother's account.
- 04The Garda Special Detective Unit seized electronic devices and documents from McKeeffe's home, revealing evidence of the alleged breaches.
- 05Judge Máire Conneely denied bail, citing significant flight risk due to McKeeffe's multiple identities and lack of strong ties to Ireland.
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Yevgen McKeeffe, a 45-year-old civil servant with Irish citizenship originally from Ukraine, has been charged with leaking confidential government information to foreign handlers. He appeared in Dublin District Court after being arrested at Dublin Airport while attempting to leave the country with a one-way ticket to Turkey. The Garda Special Detective Unit (SDU) initiated an investigation into McKeeffe, who allegedly accessed sensitive government data and transferred it to a foreign intelligence service for personal gain. He was charged under section nine of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. The court heard that McKeeffe had been involved in creating and sending sensitive documents, including an Excel file with personal details of staff, to his foreign contact via the Telegram app. He was found with €5,650 in cash at the time of his arrest. The judge denied bail due to concerns about McKeeffe's flight risk and ordered his next hearing for Tuesday at Cloverhill District Court. Legal aid has been granted.
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The case raises serious concerns about national security and the integrity of government operations in Ireland.
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