Dundee leisure bosses are under growing pressure to explain why an organisation linked to an Irish gangster was allowed to stage a boxing event at the Caird Hall.
Officials at Leisure and Culture Dundee say they are “looking into” allegations that Probellum – the firm who co-promoted a bill on April 30 – has ties to the Kinahan international crime family.
But a North East MSP says the organisation, which runs services including sport and culture in the city, must immediately explain why the event was allowed to go ahead and give details about how its investigation will take shape.
Members of the Dubai-based Irish family are wanted over crimes including murder, firearms and drug trafficking.
US officials announced sanctions against the group last month and said 44-year-old Daniel Kinahan “is believed to run the day-to-day operations of the organisation”.
A reward of $5 million has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Kinahan, his brother Christopher, 41, and their father Christopher Snr, 65.
A spokesman for Probellum told The Courier any suggestion of a connection between the business and the crime family is “categorically untrue”.
‘Failure to do due diligence’
North East Scottish Conservative MSP Tess White said: “I find it disappointing that Dundee City Council’s leisure trust failed to do due diligence over this event.
“It’s time to shed some light on these links rather than attempt to hide them.
“They need to explain how this was allowed to happen, and what they’re going to do now these links have been uncovered.
“This is an opportunity to show lessons have been learned.”
Leisure and Culture Dundee was asked what has been done since the allegations first came to light and what the next steps are for its investigation.
The organisation refused to answer those questions.
It instead pointed to its previous statement, which read: “We are looking into these allegations.”
Kinahan a well-known figure in boxing
Daniel Kinahan is a well-known figure in the boxing world who has acted as an advisor to Tyson Fury and Josh Taylor.
The announcement of the US sanctions led to the closure of MTK Global, a boxing management agency co-founded by him.
The trademark for Probellum was registered in 2019 by MTK Global.
Probellum – which has tried to distance itself from Daniel Kinahan in recent weeks – has in the past promoted several fighters advised by the Dubai-based cartel leader.
Last month Eurosport halted an agreement with the firm to show five of its shows, dropping the remaining two amid scrutiny over the company’s links to Kinahan.
Met @probellum on aligning vision on boxing for Punjab & how to make this sport bigger for our youth. Looking forward to hosting Daniel in Lahore to discuss Pakistan’s first International fight with foreign world class boxers InshAllah. Will share more info in the upcoming weeks pic.twitter.com/DeFkwXgWdN
— Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti (@RaiTaimoorPTI) March 20, 2022
Probellum says the business and all of its employees take the sanctions imposed by US officials “extremely seriously” and will be fully compliant with all rules, regulations and requirements.
In an earlier statement, the firm said it will not work with any individual or company that has been placed under US sanctions, including Daniel Kinahan.
On April 15, CEO Richard Schaefer told the BBC that Kanihan “had at no point any interest whatsoever in Probellum”.
Links raised with National Crime Agency
Probellum’s co-promoter for the Caird Hall fight night was Kynoch Boxing Promotions, founded by former MTK Global group managing director Sam Kynoch.
Scottish Conservative community safety spokesman Russell Findlay previously highlighted what he described as “significant links” between the promoter and the Kinahans’ Marbella gym.
In 2015, Kynoch set up a gym in Glasgow called MGM Scotland, described as the “sister” gym of MGM Marbella in Spain – founded by Daniel Kinahan in 2012.
Mr Findlay said he has raised these links with the National Crime Agency and police.
Kynoch Boxing Promotions and Management was also behind a boxing event in Glasgow last Friday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and is involved in another this weekend at the Hydro.
There is no suggestion any of the fighters or co-promoters involved in the Glasgow or Dundee events are involved in crime.
