Daniel Kinahan says 'I'm being scapegoated' as he fears jail for life
Mob boss Daniel Kinahan believes Irish courts will imprison him for the remainder of his life once he is returned from Dubai to face justice."I think I have already got life in prison," he told podcaster James English during a phone interview conducted from his Dubai prison cell.Mr English, who previously spoke with Kinahan in 2022 before the Dublin crime lord and key associates were sanctioned by the United States, released a portion of the interview on Friday — ahead of his extradition from the United Arab Emirates to Dublin to stand trial.Kinahan, 49, is expected to be returned from Dubai imminently, having lost his final appeal against extradition — clearing the way for him to be transferred to Ireland to face trial.The Director of Public Prosecutions has already confirmed that Kinahan — head of the €1.5 billion drugs and crime cartel that bears his family name — is to be charged with serious gangland offences, reports the Irish Mirror.It is understood he will face charges of directing a criminal organisation — an offence that carries a potential life sentence upon conviction.In excerpts from the interview, published on Mr English's Instagram account on Friday afternoon, Kinahan maintains he has effectively already been convicted — despite his trial not yet having commenced.He tells Mr English: "I think I have already got life in prison, James."He further claims he believes a deal has been struck to expedite his return from Dubai more swiftly than would occur through standard extradition proceedings. "I think there is a deal being done, you know," he says.He adds: "I think we're going to go through the dance now and the circus and the character assassination even more now of me and my family."Kinahan also raises the absence of Gardaí from the Regency Airport Hotel in north Dublin in February 2016, when the Hutch gang launched an attack on a boxing event he was attending in a bid to kill him and his associates. That assault saw the Hutch mob murder ally David Byrne — missing Kinahan by mere seconds.Gardaí have faced persistent criticism for failing to have officers present — despite some media being on the scene, having known Kinahan would be in attendance.Kinahan echoes that criticism, while also lambasting the force's sluggish response to the attack.He says: "There are so many things that happened and there is so much dirty things that I think it is time to start to come out now."Regarding the Regency, it took over 20 minutes for them to respond, there was no police there."They talk about, I'm a big mafia boss and this imaginary cartel that they created and there is no police at the Regency when there is a publicised boxing event on there."There's four different reporters there, ready to take pictures."Police didn't respond, (they are) two minutes away and the police didn't respond for over 20 minutes."He says: "People need to connect the dots now and start looking into this because once they unravel what is happening there it is going to unravel and it is going to be a snowball effect for all other corruption that has been going on over the last two, three, four decades."He also spoke about the moment a Hutch gunman pulled a gun on him during the attack - and how he managed to escape.He said: "I seen him actually pulling the gun from the back of his waist and just pulling his hand up and then I just ran through the door."Kinahan also maintained that he has been used as a scapegoat, stating: "I believe I have not been an angel in my life and I don't think anyone has been an angel. The person who points the finger has three fingers pointing back at themselves."I don't want to play like I am a martyr and people believe he is innocent, he is a conspiracy theorist."But yeah, I believe in a way I am a scapegoat and anyone that looks into this so-called feud that they say they have created, then you will see, you will see things yourself if someone has the time to look into it."Prior to US sanctions being imposed on him, his father Christy and brother Christopher, Kinahan had been making considerable progress in his ambitions to become a powerful fixer in boxing, working to establish himself as a dominant force in the sport by brokering high-profile deals. Those ambitions were swiftly derailed once he found himself in American crosshairs — and he has since expressed his belief that he could have left a meaningful mark on the sport.He said: "I think I would have done a lot of good for boxing because I was not in boxing to launder money as they say - I never did that whatsoever."I think I would have given a lot back to boxing and helped a lot of people, you know."He also expressed his bewilderment at how the Irish media can continuously report on him and label him a gang boss."That is a question that I would like to know," he says.When questioned about the most fascinating individual he has ever encountered, he responded: "I would say one of the most interesting people I spoke to, just for a short time, was (director) Guy Ritchie, without a doubt."Want to see more of the stories you love from Dublin Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. 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