A former Celtic youth player who was found transporting nearly £400,000 worth of cash in the back of a van has been jailed for his role in a money laundering plot.
James Keatings, 33, who most notably made his name playing for Edinburgh clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian FC, turned his hand to criminal activity following his retirement from football in 2023.
The ex-forward, who also played for top-flight sides such as St Johnstone and Dundee United before injuries derailed his career, was arrested on June 28 last year after investigators caught him red-handed.
After receiving a tip about large sums of cash being moved, the Organised Crime Partnership watched Keatings move two boxes from the back of a white transit van before placing them into the back of another vehicle and driving away.
Officials then made a move to stop and search the vehicle, where they uncovered 78 bundles of notes totalling an eye-watering £390,040, which had been stashed in the boxes Keatings had placed.
Forensic examinations found the former footballer’s fingerprints on the money, the boxes and the elastic bands holding the notes together.
Keatings appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on August 20 where he pleaded guilty to possessing and transferring criminal property.
He was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment at the same court today.
James Keatings (above) turned his hand to criminal activity following his retirement from football in 2023
Keatings (above) was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment at Falkirk Sheriff Court
NCA Regional Head of Investigations, Ian Thomas, said: ‘James Keatings moved hundreds of thousands of pounds in suspected criminal funds, but what he didn’t know was OCP officers were watching his every move.
‘The NCA will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring offenders like Keatings to justice and disrupt offenders and their criminality, wherever there is an opportunity to do so.’
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Sands, Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit, said: ‘This investigation underlines our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy.
‘We will continue to work with our partner agencies to tackle this type of criminal activity and ensure those responsible face justice.
‘Information and support from the public is vital to our work and I would encourage anyone with information relating to organised crime to contact us through 101.’
Keatings broke through the youth ranks at Celtic in 2010 before moving to St Johnstone on loan having never made a senior appearance for the Glasgow club.
He would perform well in the Scottish Premiership for several years before plying his trade in the country’s lower leagues from 2019 until his retirement – with an injury to his hip leaving him with chronic pain.
Keatings had been working as a plasterer following his retirement.
