Judge says Herbert Kilcline was ‘key component’ in millionaire’s fraudulent scheme
A solicitor has been jailed for two and a half years for his central role in a fraudulent property scheme masterminded by disgraced former millionaire Philip Marley.
Herbert Kilcline, once a practising solicitor, was described in court as “a key component” in the elaborate deception, which involved fraudulently registering two valuable Dublin properties under companies that had no legal ownership of them.
The scam, designed to create the illusion that these properties belonged to entities linked to Marley, allowed the fraudster to mislead banks and potential investors, diverting ownership and value away from rightful parties.
At sentencing, the judge outlined how Kilcline’s professional standing and access to legal processes gave the fraud an air of legitimacy. He knowingly assisted Marley by facilitating the wrongful registration of property titles — a move which proved vital to the scheme’s success.
The court heard that without Kilcline’s legal intervention, Marley’s sham transactions would likely have crumbled under regulatory scrutiny. His role included preparing and lodging documents that falsely asserted ownership, giving Marley’s front companies control over the Dublin properties.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe two properties, located in prime city locations, were fraudulently transferred into names of shell companies over which Marley exercised control. These transfers, while appearing official due to Kilcline’s involvement, were entirely without legal basis and intended to deceive.
The prosecution argued that Kilcline failed in his duty as a solicitor, using his knowledge of conveyancing and the land registry system not to protect legal integrity, but to subvert it. He acted, they said, not as a passive participant, but as an active enabler of financial crime.
Kilcline’s defence acknowledged his actions but cited personal and professional pressures. The court, however, determined that the gravity of the offence, combined with the damage to public trust in the legal profession, demanded a custodial sentence.
Marley, once a property magnate known for his flamboyant lifestyle, has already faced separate proceedings in relation to the broader scheme. His downfall and the unraveling of his empire have attracted considerable public interest.
The sentence marks another blow to the integrity of the legal system, raising questions about how easily professional authority can be abused to lend legitimacy to fraud. Regulatory authorities are reportedly reviewing Kilcline’s professional status, with permanent disbarment considered likely.
This conviction forms part of a broader investigation into white-collar crime linked to the Irish property sector — a sphere still reeling from the excesses and failures exposed in the wake of the financial crash.
