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| Nama deal: PSNI launch investigation | Nama deal: PSNI launch investigation |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The police are to launch an investigation into the sale of Nama's property portfolio in Northern Ireland, and claims about money contained in an Isle of Man bank account. | |
| The account, thought to have contained around £7m, was to be used to facilitate payments to people involved in arranging the sale. | |
| The bank account was controlled by Ian Coulter, a former partner in Belfast law firm Tughans. | |
| It was to be used for payments to so-called fixers and influencers behind the sale of Nama's Northern Ireland property portfolio. | |
| Last week, Independent TD (Irish MP) Mick Wallace claimed in the Irish parliament that the money was earmarked for a politician in Northern Ireland. | |
| Tughans has said the money was "diverted" into the account without the knowledge of other senior staff. | |
| It said the payment was retrieved and Mr Coulter left the company in January. | |
| In a statement on Wednesday, the PSNI said it will launch a criminal inquiry into concerns raised over the Nama sale and the claims made by Mr Wallace. | |
| Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said the PSNI believed there was sufficient concern in relation to potential criminal activity surrounding the property deal to instigate an investigation. | |
| He said the police were engaging with a number of other national and international law enforcement partners to consider how best to take it forward. | |
| It is understood those other law enforcement organisations include the National Crime Agency - referred to as the British FBI. | |
| The Law Society, which is responsible for regulating the activities of solicitors in Northern Ireland, has been investigating the circumstances of Mr Coulter's departure from Tughans since January. | |
| On Tuesday, it said it will co-operate fully with any police investigation. |