Former professional footballer jailed over £400,000 money laundering handover
Former Celtic, Hearts and Hibs footballer jailed over criminal cash scheme
- Former professional footballer James Keatings was sentenced to 13-and-a-half months in prison for attempting to launder nearly £400,000 in criminal cash.
- Keatings, 33, who played for Celtic, Hearts and won the Scottish Cup with Hibs in 2016, transferred two boxes containing £390,040 from his van to another in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, on June 28 last year.
- Police intercepted the second van, discovering the cash, and forensic examination found Keatings' fingerprints on the money and packaging.
- He pleaded guilty to an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 at Falkirk Sheriff Court on August 20.
- His lawyer stated Keatings moved the money in exchange for painkillers to manage chronic hip pain, a mitigating factor acknowledged by the Sheriff.