NATHAN McDonnell planned to use his €150,000 payment for a drugs plot to fund a “Kardashian” lifestyle, cops believe.
The ‘Breaking Bad’ businessman was jailed for 12 years for his role in the €32 million crystal meth operation.
The scheme was organised by a crime group with links to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.
The Special Criminal Court heard McDonnell – who had racked up debts of €4million – was to be paid €150,000 by an Irish gang to store a machine containing the drugs at his Kerry garden centre and arrange for its export to Australia.
McDonnell was in court on Friday wearing a face mask after having his jaw broken in Portlaoise Prison last week by a gangland inmate, Kinahan Cartel thug Glen Thompson.
Some believe the high-profile CEO of the long-established Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee had risked everything to raise money for his ailing business.
But sources revealed McDonnell needed the cash to fund his “Kardashian” lifestyle.
A source told the Irish Sun: “The €150,000 he was to receive would have been just a drop in the ocean where his failing business interests were concerned.
Instead he wanted to have money hidden away which would allow him to continue to enjoy good food and wine, and five-star holidays abroad at least once or twice a year.
“McDonnell loved the limelight. All you have to do is look at his extravagant lifestyle highlighted on social media.
“He was the head judge at Listowel Races in 2023. He was President of the local Chamber of Commerce for two years during which time he rubbed shoulders with business people, high-profile politicians and ministers and high-ranking Gardai.
“There was talk that he was going to be approached by a political party to run for election to the Dail.
‘FLAUNTED HIS LIFESTYLE’
“He did a big fundraiser for a major charity and he made sure everyone knew what he was doing again with big promotions on media and social media.
“To say he flaunted his life and lifestyle is an understatement.”
However, the father-of-three was described in court by his defence counsel as now being “effectively toxic” within his own community.
The shamed garden centre owner was caged for 12 years at a sentence hearing on Friday.
In assessing McDonnell’s culpability, Ms Justice Melanie Greally said the court had considered the vast quantities of the drug involved, as well as its highly addictive nature and the widespread misery and social harm it causes.
“The €150,000 he was to receive would have been just a drop in the ocean where his failing business interests were concerned.”
An Irish Sun source
She set the headline sentence at 21 years imprisonment for the importation of drugs and at 12 years for facilitating an organised criminal gang.
The judge took into account McDonnell’s guilty plea, cooperation, positive good character, the charitable causes he has contributed to, his employment record, his devotion as a father to his three sons and his poor finances.
Ms Justice Greally, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone, then sentenced McDonnell to 12 years for drug importation and to six years concurrently for facilitating an organised crime group, backdated to when he went into custody.
Earlier this week, we revealed how prison chiefs are probing if a Kinahan killer ordered the violent attack on McDonnell.
VIOLENT ATTACK
The businessman was left with a broken jaw after being punched by drugged-up hitman Thompson at Portlaoise Prison last Friday.
As authorities establish what led to the incident, Thomas ‘Nicky’ McConnell has come under investigation in relation to it.
Senior sources have revealed that McConnell – who is serving life for the 2016 murder of Gareth Hutch – has taken on a leading role in the A-block at the State’s maximum security prison as he vies for control.
A line of inquiry being followed is that Tralee native McDonnell refused to move drugs as he worked in the laundry of the prison.
And it led 39-year-old McConnell to seek revenge by demanding the attack on McDonnell.
Since the assault, 30-year-old Thompson – who is serving a sentence for his role in the failed plot to kill Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch’s brother Patsy in 2018 – has been on 23-hour lock up in a cell.
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