Relative of Government Minister at centre of fraud inquiry claim

A relative of a Government Minister is at the centre of a criminal investigation into alleged fraud and was arrested by gardaí for questioning earlier this week.

The suspect was detained on Thursday and was taken to a Garda station in the Leinster region.

The questioning formed part of a detailed criminal investigation that has been under way for about a year.

Following the man’s arrest this week, he was detained for a number of hours and questioned about the allegations at the centre of the investigations.

He has since been released without charge.

A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions setting out the evidence on which any further proceedings would be based.

It is unclear how long this process will take.

The case centres on the alleged retention of funds from business dealings that clients allege should have been paid to them.