20130205
‘Former bank chief’ caught at airport with £44.5M cheque
‘Former bank chief’ caught at airport with £44.5M cheque
IRAN'S former central bank chief has been caught at an airport – with a cheque worth £44.5MILLION, it is reported.
Tahmasb Mazaheri was detained after customs officers allegedly found the eye-watering bill in his luggage.
The 59-year-old is said to have been issued the 300million bolivar cheque by the Bank of Venezuela.
Mr Mazaheri, the governor of the Central Bank of Iran until 2008, had flown from Turkey into Duesseldorf Airport in Germany on January 21.
German police and customs are reported to be investigating possible money laundering.
20130204
Harvard details suspensions in massive cheating scandal
Harvard details suspensions in massive cheating scandal
CAMBRIDGE — More than half of the roughly 125 Harvard University students investigated by the college’s disciplinary board for cheating on a take-home exam last spring were forced to temporarily withdraw, school officials announced Friday.
The disclosure, communicated in an e-mail to the Harvard community from Michael D. Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, was the most extensive accounting of what is being called the Ivy League’s largest cheating scandal in recent times.
Smith said the inquiry, which concluded in December, resulted in about half of the students implicated in the high-profile case being asked to leave the college for “a period of time.” Affected students have said that it amounted to two academic semesters for most. The rest of the students were evenly split between those who received disciplinary probation or had their cases dismissed, he said.
“We, as a faculty, must redouble our efforts to communicate clearly and unambiguously to our undergraduates about academic integrity,” Smith wrote. “While the fall cases are complete, our work on academic integrity is far from done.”
The official announcement came as no surprise to many undergraduates, who saw dozens of classmates, teammates, and friends quickly disappear from campus without explanation throughout the fall semester. But the statement provided new perspective on the details of the investigation, a process that even Smith conceded had experienced delays because of its massive scale.
Though Harvard officials declined to comment further on the details of the case, Smith’s letter outlined a series of possible reforms that may be put in place to help students and faculty avoid similar situations in the future.
The students were accused of collaborating on the last of four take-home exams in the spring 2012 lecture Government 1310: Introduction to Congress. The students were given a week to complete the exams. Suspicions were first made public last August, when Harvard announced it was dealing with a cheating scandal of unknown scope.
Smith acknowledged the resolution of the cases took “much longer” than many had expected.
He also addressed a major complaint among students: The disparity in tuition refunds for those who were suspended.
At Harvard, tuition refunds are pro-rated, based on when a student withdraws. As the Administrative Board delved into details of the case, the timeline for student hearings grew from weeks to months.
Those whose cases were heard in September were able to recoup thousands of dollars more than peers whose cases were decided in December.
Harvard administrators have decided to fix that disparity, and will now provide tuition refunds based on Sept. 30 as the withdrawal date for all.
Still, that was small consolation for some implicated in the case who maintain that the Administrative Board used unfair practices to determine students’ guilt or innocence. Many have taken issue with allegations that students copied one another’s tests; they say similarities in exams arose because they shared notes with classmates, a practice expressly encouraged by the professor.
“The tuition issue — it’s an important one, but of all the issues we have with the Ad Board, it’s way down on the list,” said a father whose son withdrew after he was found guilty.
He called Smith’s letter insulting.
“Their own faculty has culpability, which they have failed to acknowledge,” said the parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of harming his son’s chances of being readmitted. “They should be exonerating these kids and looking hard at themselves and realizing they are the cause of this situation.”
Smith’s e-mail outlined upcoming plans by the school’s Committee on Academic Integrity to help students and faculty find ways to prevent academic dishonesty or inappropriate collaboration. These measures may include instituting an honor code or incorporating lessons on scholarly values into courses and residential houses.
One student who was exonerated said the recommendations rang hollow — the majority of similarities in the take-home exams occurred, he said, because of unclear directions by the instructor. Focusing on reforming student attitudes, he said, is wrong-headed.
“That’s not at the root of what happened in this particular instance,” he said.
On campus Friday, opinions among students were mixed.
Michael Constant, 19, said he thinks the college wanted to make a statement. Not punishing students, he said, would have been the same as condoning the behavior.
“I think it’s fair,” said Constant, who is studying neurobiology, said of the board’s decision. “They made the choice to cheat.”
But Georgina Parfitt, 22, said the punishment was too harsh, and that many students in the class could have been confused about the policy.
“Sending someone away for a semester or a year, it’s awful,” said Parfitt, an English major. “It changes someone’s life.”
Harold Eyster, 19, said students who cheat should be punished, but he was disappointed by the college’s response. Some professors have begun forbidding collaboration among students, he said, a move that Eyster feels could hinder learning at Harvard.
“Collaboration is so important in academic learning,” he said.
CAMBRIDGE — More than half of the roughly 125 Harvard University students investigated by the college’s disciplinary board for cheating on a take-home exam last spring were forced to temporarily withdraw, school officials announced Friday.
The disclosure, communicated in an e-mail to the Harvard community from Michael D. Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, was the most extensive accounting of what is being called the Ivy League’s largest cheating scandal in recent times.
Smith said the inquiry, which concluded in December, resulted in about half of the students implicated in the high-profile case being asked to leave the college for “a period of time.” Affected students have said that it amounted to two academic semesters for most. The rest of the students were evenly split between those who received disciplinary probation or had their cases dismissed, he said.
“We, as a faculty, must redouble our efforts to communicate clearly and unambiguously to our undergraduates about academic integrity,” Smith wrote. “While the fall cases are complete, our work on academic integrity is far from done.”
The official announcement came as no surprise to many undergraduates, who saw dozens of classmates, teammates, and friends quickly disappear from campus without explanation throughout the fall semester. But the statement provided new perspective on the details of the investigation, a process that even Smith conceded had experienced delays because of its massive scale.
Though Harvard officials declined to comment further on the details of the case, Smith’s letter outlined a series of possible reforms that may be put in place to help students and faculty avoid similar situations in the future.
The students were accused of collaborating on the last of four take-home exams in the spring 2012 lecture Government 1310: Introduction to Congress. The students were given a week to complete the exams. Suspicions were first made public last August, when Harvard announced it was dealing with a cheating scandal of unknown scope.
Smith acknowledged the resolution of the cases took “much longer” than many had expected.
He also addressed a major complaint among students: The disparity in tuition refunds for those who were suspended.
At Harvard, tuition refunds are pro-rated, based on when a student withdraws. As the Administrative Board delved into details of the case, the timeline for student hearings grew from weeks to months.
Those whose cases were heard in September were able to recoup thousands of dollars more than peers whose cases were decided in December.
Harvard administrators have decided to fix that disparity, and will now provide tuition refunds based on Sept. 30 as the withdrawal date for all.
Still, that was small consolation for some implicated in the case who maintain that the Administrative Board used unfair practices to determine students’ guilt or innocence. Many have taken issue with allegations that students copied one another’s tests; they say similarities in exams arose because they shared notes with classmates, a practice expressly encouraged by the professor.
“The tuition issue — it’s an important one, but of all the issues we have with the Ad Board, it’s way down on the list,” said a father whose son withdrew after he was found guilty.
He called Smith’s letter insulting.
“Their own faculty has culpability, which they have failed to acknowledge,” said the parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of harming his son’s chances of being readmitted. “They should be exonerating these kids and looking hard at themselves and realizing they are the cause of this situation.”
Smith’s e-mail outlined upcoming plans by the school’s Committee on Academic Integrity to help students and faculty find ways to prevent academic dishonesty or inappropriate collaboration. These measures may include instituting an honor code or incorporating lessons on scholarly values into courses and residential houses.
One student who was exonerated said the recommendations rang hollow — the majority of similarities in the take-home exams occurred, he said, because of unclear directions by the instructor. Focusing on reforming student attitudes, he said, is wrong-headed.
“That’s not at the root of what happened in this particular instance,” he said.
On campus Friday, opinions among students were mixed.
Michael Constant, 19, said he thinks the college wanted to make a statement. Not punishing students, he said, would have been the same as condoning the behavior.
“I think it’s fair,” said Constant, who is studying neurobiology, said of the board’s decision. “They made the choice to cheat.”
But Georgina Parfitt, 22, said the punishment was too harsh, and that many students in the class could have been confused about the policy.
“Sending someone away for a semester or a year, it’s awful,” said Parfitt, an English major. “It changes someone’s life.”
Harold Eyster, 19, said students who cheat should be punished, but he was disappointed by the college’s response. Some professors have begun forbidding collaboration among students, he said, a move that Eyster feels could hinder learning at Harvard.
“Collaboration is so important in academic learning,” he said.
20130203
Eric Schmidt Calls China The World's 'Most Sophisticated Hacker'
Eric Schmidt Calls China The World's 'Most Sophisticated Hacker'
China's state-sanctioned cybercrime is a global "menace" according to Eric Schmidt, Google's executive chairman, as he predicts a revolution in the country in the coming decades in his latest book.
Eric Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman, has described China as the most “sophisticated and prolific” hacker of foreign companies in his upcoming book, according to leaked extracts.
“The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will put both the government and the companies of the United States at a distinct disadvantage," Mr Schmidt wrote, according to the Wall Street Journal. He argues that the Chinese state backed cyber crime for economic and political gain, making it the biggest online menace in the world.
“The New Digital Age” co-written with Jared Cohen, a former US government adviser, will be published in April by Random House.
“The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will put both the government and the companies of the United States at a distinct disadvantage,” because “the United States will not take the same path of digital corporate espionage, as its laws are much stricter (and better enforced) and because illicit competition violate the American sense of fair play,” the book claims.
However, the book also acknowledges that the US is also flawed, highlighting the country’s role in the Stuxnet virus, which accidentally spread across the internet in 2010. The virus was originally created by the US and Israeli governments to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Mr Schmidt and Mr Cohen come close to suggesting that western governments imitate China so they are not disadvantaged by its activities. They also say that the spread of Chinese technology around the world increases the influence of the Chinese government.
“Where Huawei gains market share, the influence and reach of China grow as well,” Mr Schmidt says.
However, the authors also argued that the spread of technology could destabilise the authoritarian central government.
“This mix of active citizens armed with technological devices and tight government control is exceptionally volatile,” the books notes, something which could lead to “widespread instability”. This will lead to “some kind of revolution in the coming decades”.
China's state-sanctioned cybercrime is a global "menace" according to Eric Schmidt, Google's executive chairman, as he predicts a revolution in the country in the coming decades in his latest book.
Eric Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman, has described China as the most “sophisticated and prolific” hacker of foreign companies in his upcoming book, according to leaked extracts.
“The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will put both the government and the companies of the United States at a distinct disadvantage," Mr Schmidt wrote, according to the Wall Street Journal. He argues that the Chinese state backed cyber crime for economic and political gain, making it the biggest online menace in the world.
“The New Digital Age” co-written with Jared Cohen, a former US government adviser, will be published in April by Random House.
“The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will put both the government and the companies of the United States at a distinct disadvantage,” because “the United States will not take the same path of digital corporate espionage, as its laws are much stricter (and better enforced) and because illicit competition violate the American sense of fair play,” the book claims.
However, the book also acknowledges that the US is also flawed, highlighting the country’s role in the Stuxnet virus, which accidentally spread across the internet in 2010. The virus was originally created by the US and Israeli governments to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Mr Schmidt and Mr Cohen come close to suggesting that western governments imitate China so they are not disadvantaged by its activities. They also say that the spread of Chinese technology around the world increases the influence of the Chinese government.
“Where Huawei gains market share, the influence and reach of China grow as well,” Mr Schmidt says.
However, the authors also argued that the spread of technology could destabilise the authoritarian central government.
“This mix of active citizens armed with technological devices and tight government control is exceptionally volatile,” the books notes, something which could lead to “widespread instability”. This will lead to “some kind of revolution in the coming decades”.
20130202
Anger at Spanish political corruption must be converted into action at last
Anger at Spanish political corruption must be converted into action at last
- New allegations of spectacular corruption in the ruling People's party should put paid to Spain's tolerance of such scandals
It is possible to be shocked without being surprised. That's the
feeling that many Spaniards experienced last Thursday when they awoke
to the news that the ruling People's party could be involved in yet
another spectacular corruption case. It was a shock because, if the allegations turn out to be true, it would mean that almost all of the leaders of Spain's main political organisation, including the prime minister
himself, could have been receiving substantial payments on the side
from seemingly obscure sources for almost two decades. If confirmed, it
would be more than just a corruption scandal: we would almost be talking
about a tradition.
The lack of surprise is understandable. This latest allegation is merely the icing on the cake in a series of corruption cases, which serve to highlight the generally felt disappointment in Spain's public officials – figures involved in almost every conceivable institution in the land, from the judiciary and the police to the crown.
But what is new here is not the slush funds, the cash-for-political-favours, the brown envelope discreetly slipped into a pocket, or the nonprofit organisation that collects money for disabled children and diverts it to a personal account in Belize (yes, the king's son-in-law is accused of doing precisely that). These practices have been almost routine for many years. The novelty is in the anger or, more precisely, that the anger has turned into something more solid: bitterness. Of course, the economic crisis in Spain has been the catalyst – when the tide is low you can see the rocky bottom of the sea. Starved of cash, the scaffolding of political favours and shady businesses is collapsing, allowing many things to be revealed. But the change comes also from the fact that the crisis has turned politics from a boring documentary into reality TV, vulgarity and naked greed included. An economic downturn is not only God's way to teach you economics, it also makes the public take an interest in what's going on in government.
And what now? If the suspicions about the ruling party are confirmed, even in the slightest degree, the prime minister will have to go. You can't tell people to pay their taxes if you haven't paid yours for years. Kickbacks have to turn into kick-outs. It's as simple as that.
But there is the danger that the case will drag on for months, giving the chance to the two main parties to team up and agree to new laws on party finances. Good idea? No. We've seen it all before, the excuse of a "clean break with the past" to sneak in a retrospective amnesty. That was one of the first decisions of this government when it took office: an official amnesty for tax evaders. Even in the rare instance of a politician ending up in jail, he or she will usually be quietly pardoned by the government, which has the power to overrule judges. The current justice minister has already issued hundreds of such pardons, with a particular focus on fellow politicians. Last November, when 200 judges sent him a signed letter of protest for this "abuse" of his powers his answer was that pardoning is "a tradition dating back to 1870" that had to be kept. Good old tradition.
Anger passes, bitterness doesn't. But bitterness alone is not a plan of action. What to do, then? Some pin their hopes on an early election that could sweep aside the bigger parties, in the naive assumption that the smaller parties are different (they are, but they won't be once they become powerful). Italy serves well to remind us that voting out Tangentopoli can get you 20 years of Berlusconi. Others put all their confidence in revolutionary change, a peaceful revolt of the street. There was one two years ago, the indignados movement. People supported it wholeheartedly, and then gave a landslide to … the People's party. Scepticism about our leaders is not enough. We should also be sceptical about ourselves. Could this be the case that bucks the trend? At least we're now in the mood for change. Until now, we didn't even care enough. It's an improvement.
• This article was commissioned after a suggestion by Martillo. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered on Comment is free, please visit our You Tell Us page
The lack of surprise is understandable. This latest allegation is merely the icing on the cake in a series of corruption cases, which serve to highlight the generally felt disappointment in Spain's public officials – figures involved in almost every conceivable institution in the land, from the judiciary and the police to the crown.
But what is new here is not the slush funds, the cash-for-political-favours, the brown envelope discreetly slipped into a pocket, or the nonprofit organisation that collects money for disabled children and diverts it to a personal account in Belize (yes, the king's son-in-law is accused of doing precisely that). These practices have been almost routine for many years. The novelty is in the anger or, more precisely, that the anger has turned into something more solid: bitterness. Of course, the economic crisis in Spain has been the catalyst – when the tide is low you can see the rocky bottom of the sea. Starved of cash, the scaffolding of political favours and shady businesses is collapsing, allowing many things to be revealed. But the change comes also from the fact that the crisis has turned politics from a boring documentary into reality TV, vulgarity and naked greed included. An economic downturn is not only God's way to teach you economics, it also makes the public take an interest in what's going on in government.
And what now? If the suspicions about the ruling party are confirmed, even in the slightest degree, the prime minister will have to go. You can't tell people to pay their taxes if you haven't paid yours for years. Kickbacks have to turn into kick-outs. It's as simple as that.
But there is the danger that the case will drag on for months, giving the chance to the two main parties to team up and agree to new laws on party finances. Good idea? No. We've seen it all before, the excuse of a "clean break with the past" to sneak in a retrospective amnesty. That was one of the first decisions of this government when it took office: an official amnesty for tax evaders. Even in the rare instance of a politician ending up in jail, he or she will usually be quietly pardoned by the government, which has the power to overrule judges. The current justice minister has already issued hundreds of such pardons, with a particular focus on fellow politicians. Last November, when 200 judges sent him a signed letter of protest for this "abuse" of his powers his answer was that pardoning is "a tradition dating back to 1870" that had to be kept. Good old tradition.
Anger passes, bitterness doesn't. But bitterness alone is not a plan of action. What to do, then? Some pin their hopes on an early election that could sweep aside the bigger parties, in the naive assumption that the smaller parties are different (they are, but they won't be once they become powerful). Italy serves well to remind us that voting out Tangentopoli can get you 20 years of Berlusconi. Others put all their confidence in revolutionary change, a peaceful revolt of the street. There was one two years ago, the indignados movement. People supported it wholeheartedly, and then gave a landslide to … the People's party. Scepticism about our leaders is not enough. We should also be sceptical about ourselves. Could this be the case that bucks the trend? At least we're now in the mood for change. Until now, we didn't even care enough. It's an improvement.
• This article was commissioned after a suggestion by Martillo. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered on Comment is free, please visit our You Tell Us page
Missing Irish millionaire found after eight months
Missing Irish millionaire found after eight months
The dishevelled and emaciated figure standing in the middle of the road did not look like a millionaire. Barefoot, with long hair and an unkempt beard, the man looked more like a vagrant than the missing property tycoon he was.
When Catherine Vallely stopped her car after spotting him in the middle of the road, she had initially thought the outline of the scrawny figure ahead of her was a traffic cone. "He had red trousers that made me think it was a cone in the middle of the road," she said.
But this roadside debris turned out to be Kevin McGeever, an Irish property developer who went missing more than eight months ago and had not been heard from since June last year, when he was reported missing in County Galway by his partner, Siobhan O'Callaghan.
When Vallely and her partner Peter Rehill picked him up on the Leitrim-Cavan border, he had a one-word insult – reported to be "thief" – carved into his forehead. He told them that three men had thrown him out of a van.
They took the 68-year-old to the local Garda Síochána, where he explained that he was abducted by three masked and armed men from his mansion in rural Galway back in May.
McGeever told officers that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom for his safe release but he did not know whether it had been paid.
The property developer said he could not remember what had happened to him in the meantime but, as he was being released, he was given a mobile phone and warned to keep it with him at all times.
The gardai are now trying to establish whether he had been held across the border in Northern Ireland before he was dumped in County Leitrim.
Vallely was on her way home to Ballinamore with her partner Peter Rehill on Tuesday night when they spotted him in the middle of the road.
"When the man got into our car, he told us he had no shoes on," Vallely told the Irish Independent.
They brought him straight to Ballinamore garda station. The couple said he was unable to tell what month of the year it was or what happened to him during his capitivity.
"A female garda immediately invited him in for a cup of tea. As he was eating tea and biscuits, he asked her if she had any more. He said he hadn't eaten for God knows how long.
"He had a pair of enormous eyes in a very thin face and his cheekbones stuck out. He was rubbing his beard with fingers that had long nails. He was very well educated, well spoken and polite and articulate.
"He was just skin and bones," Vallely added.
She said that soon afterwards a female police officer bought him a bag of curry chips.
Aftewards, the millionaire was taken to Mullingar hospital, where he was treated for malnutrition and dehydration. It is understood that he had lost about five stone – a dramatic drop in weight given his former weight of 16st.
Sources said investigating officers had as yet been unable to determine if McGeever's story was true or not.
One Craughwell resident said most people in the village had never seen Mr McKeever in their lives as he lived in a mansion "behind locked gates".
"We had no idea who he was until this week, I don't know anyone who knew of him," she said.
"Apparently there was a missing poster in the local garda station, but if a person who was a developer goes missing, people presume they are all living the high life.
"It's just the most bizarre thing ever. The mystery thickens."
McGeever originally married in Australia decades ago.
During the Celtic Tiger boom, McGeever ran an international property business selling luxury homes in Dubai to rich Irish and British clients.
He is currently listed in legal proceedings before the high court in a case being taken against KMM Properties, which began in 2009.
Before his ordeal, McGeever lived in a swish property that was christened "Nirvana", and during the boom years of the Irish economy was estimated to be worth well over €3m.
The two security gates decorated with stained-glass features guard the entrance. The property is surrounded by immaculately groomed lawns, a cobble-lock driveway, a separate guesthouse and a glasshouse.
As part of his business selling luxury properties in the Gulf, McGeever set up an office on Mullingar's Ashe Road, where he had staff working for him. He also conducted property deals at the Mullingar Park Hotel, and those who encountered him took to calling him "The Yank" due to a pronounced American accent.
McGeever's initials, KMM, were branded across a EC120 helicopter in which he travelled the country.
When not taking to the air, he had a fleet of high-range vehicles to use – often with personalised number plates: a black SL55 AMG with tinted windows, a grey Porsche 911 GT2, and two H2 Hummers.
Yet despite his wealth, the tycoon liked to mix with the locals, often drinking in a main street pub in Craughwell in County Galway not far from his mansion.
The dishevelled and emaciated figure standing in the middle of the road did not look like a millionaire. Barefoot, with long hair and an unkempt beard, the man looked more like a vagrant than the missing property tycoon he was.
When Catherine Vallely stopped her car after spotting him in the middle of the road, she had initially thought the outline of the scrawny figure ahead of her was a traffic cone. "He had red trousers that made me think it was a cone in the middle of the road," she said.
But this roadside debris turned out to be Kevin McGeever, an Irish property developer who went missing more than eight months ago and had not been heard from since June last year, when he was reported missing in County Galway by his partner, Siobhan O'Callaghan.
When Vallely and her partner Peter Rehill picked him up on the Leitrim-Cavan border, he had a one-word insult – reported to be "thief" – carved into his forehead. He told them that three men had thrown him out of a van.
They took the 68-year-old to the local Garda Síochána, where he explained that he was abducted by three masked and armed men from his mansion in rural Galway back in May.
McGeever told officers that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom for his safe release but he did not know whether it had been paid.
The property developer said he could not remember what had happened to him in the meantime but, as he was being released, he was given a mobile phone and warned to keep it with him at all times.
The gardai are now trying to establish whether he had been held across the border in Northern Ireland before he was dumped in County Leitrim.
Vallely was on her way home to Ballinamore with her partner Peter Rehill on Tuesday night when they spotted him in the middle of the road.
"When the man got into our car, he told us he had no shoes on," Vallely told the Irish Independent.
They brought him straight to Ballinamore garda station. The couple said he was unable to tell what month of the year it was or what happened to him during his capitivity.
"A female garda immediately invited him in for a cup of tea. As he was eating tea and biscuits, he asked her if she had any more. He said he hadn't eaten for God knows how long.
"He had a pair of enormous eyes in a very thin face and his cheekbones stuck out. He was rubbing his beard with fingers that had long nails. He was very well educated, well spoken and polite and articulate.
"He was just skin and bones," Vallely added.
She said that soon afterwards a female police officer bought him a bag of curry chips.
Aftewards, the millionaire was taken to Mullingar hospital, where he was treated for malnutrition and dehydration. It is understood that he had lost about five stone – a dramatic drop in weight given his former weight of 16st.
Sources said investigating officers had as yet been unable to determine if McGeever's story was true or not.
One Craughwell resident said most people in the village had never seen Mr McKeever in their lives as he lived in a mansion "behind locked gates".
"We had no idea who he was until this week, I don't know anyone who knew of him," she said.
"Apparently there was a missing poster in the local garda station, but if a person who was a developer goes missing, people presume they are all living the high life.
"It's just the most bizarre thing ever. The mystery thickens."
McGeever originally married in Australia decades ago.
During the Celtic Tiger boom, McGeever ran an international property business selling luxury homes in Dubai to rich Irish and British clients.
He is currently listed in legal proceedings before the high court in a case being taken against KMM Properties, which began in 2009.
Before his ordeal, McGeever lived in a swish property that was christened "Nirvana", and during the boom years of the Irish economy was estimated to be worth well over €3m.
The two security gates decorated with stained-glass features guard the entrance. The property is surrounded by immaculately groomed lawns, a cobble-lock driveway, a separate guesthouse and a glasshouse.
As part of his business selling luxury properties in the Gulf, McGeever set up an office on Mullingar's Ashe Road, where he had staff working for him. He also conducted property deals at the Mullingar Park Hotel, and those who encountered him took to calling him "The Yank" due to a pronounced American accent.
McGeever's initials, KMM, were branded across a EC120 helicopter in which he travelled the country.
When not taking to the air, he had a fleet of high-range vehicles to use – often with personalised number plates: a black SL55 AMG with tinted windows, a grey Porsche 911 GT2, and two H2 Hummers.
Yet despite his wealth, the tycoon liked to mix with the locals, often drinking in a main street pub in Craughwell in County Galway not far from his mansion.
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