This article is from page 18 of the 2006-07-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
AN AMERICAN born businessman who the US authorities had hoped to extradite from Clare back to Arizona, has sold his home near Newmarket on Fergus and left Ireland.
Late last year, the US Government commenced proceedings against Joseph Patrick Smith Jr, who allegedly operated a multi-million euro aircraft parts fraud from a premises in the Shannon Industrial Estate. The US authorities allege that used aircraft parts were refurbished and sold as new original manufacturers’ equipment, or unused government surplus. Smith has a previous conviction for a similar offence in the US prior to moving his company to Shannon in the 90’s.
In October 2000, gardaí assisted the FBI when they raided the Smith aerospace factory in Shannon. His former home at Urlanmore near Newmarket on Fergus was sold earlier this year. It is believed that he and his wife left the country following news reports late last year that the US authorities were seeking his extradition and that his two sons had been convicted for their part in the scam.
Joseph Patrick Smith (III), aged 43, and Thomas Edward Smith, 39, both of whom lived in Ennis for several years, have already been sentenced to five years probation each in a U.S. court for their part in the scam. Efforts to extradite Smith senior from Ireland were delayed because of a legal problem with warrants issued in Dublin. He is now believed to be living in France.