UK: woman admits laundering proceeds of brother's crime

Jason Pallas was sentenced to 14 years in jail for his part in robberies at a building society and a post office. The gang were armed with guns - which they fired, a gas canister and a sledgehammer.

Pallas called his sister from jail and asked her to go shopping for him, and told her she could keep some of the money for herself.

Michelle Pallas is a 20 year old unmarried mother living with her 23 year old boyfriend Craig Rhodes. Police monitored Pallas' telephone calls and they went to his sister's home and found GBP7,500 in cash. They arrested Michelle Pallas and released her after questioning. The next day, she went to a branch of Lloyds TSB and withdrew GBP5500 from an account in her name that she had not disclosed to the police during questioning.

Both Michelle Pallas and Rhodes have admitted laundering.

For Rhodes, counsel said ""He became aware his [girlfriend] was looking after money for Jason Pallas and was aware of his reputation and involvement in criminal activities." He had not actually spent any of the money and has been released on conditional pail pending sentencing. Michelle Pallas, however, was fully aware of where the money came from (although, her counsel said, not of the specific offences). She has been remanded in custody pending sentencing.

The total taken by the gang was about GBP108,000 - but that did not GBP78,000 from an ATM that was in the process of being restocked. That raid resulted in no takings, but as shots were fired, the gang became wanted as a primary priority for police in the North Midlands of England.