Black Forge FC Cup Final Hero John Mills Pleaded Guilty to Laundering Money for ‘The Family’ Crime Gang – Wife Tried to Swallow Engagement Ring in CAB Raid

The Dramatic CAB Raid and the Engagement Ring Incident

During a 2023 CAB search of Mills’ apartment in Ashley Hall, officers informed Joyce Partridge that her engagement ring was to be seized as part of the investigation into money laundering linked to “The Family”.

Partridge became extremely upset and told officers they would “have to cut her finger off” to take the ring. When instructed to hand it over, she put the ring in her mouth and attempted to swallow it. She was arrested but the case against her for obstruction was later struck out after she made a €300 charity donation.

In the more recent proceedings, the State accepted her guilty plea to withholding information, dropping the more serious money laundering charges against her.

John Mills: From Football Pitch to Money Laundering Charges

John Mills is well known in Dublin sporting circles as a horse dealer and a committed player for Black Forge FC, the team backed by MMA superstar Conor McGregor. In 2023, while already on bail for money laundering offences, Mills played a starring role in the AFL Matt O’Leary Cup final. He saved two penalties and was named man of the match as Black Forge lifted the trophy.

One of his teammates that day was Graham “the Wig” Whelan, a convicted money launderer and associate of the Kinahan cartel, who is in a relationship with McGregor’s sister Aoife.

Links to ‘The Family’ Crime Gang

“The Family” has emerged as one of Ireland’s most significant organised crime groups in recent years, controlling large-scale supply of heroin, cocaine, and other drugs across Dublin and beyond. The gang has been the focus of Operation Compact, a major investigation led by the CAB and the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Mills was arrested as part of a coordinated operation targeting the gang’s finances. He was one of several individuals charged with money laundering offences after gardaí seized large amounts of cash and assets believed to be the proceeds of drug trafficking.

The investigation has involved multiple raids on businesses including car dealerships, gyms, property firms, and shops suspected of being used as fronts for laundering drug money. Several of these businesses have since closed.

The Wider Investigation into ‘The Family’

“The Family” rose to prominence as one of the dominant drug trafficking networks in Ireland. The gang has been linked to multi-million euro cash and drug seizures. In 2017, CAB seized over €1 million in assets, including luxury watches and high-end cars. Further operations in 2022 and 2024–2025 targeted the gang’s use of the encrypted Ghost platform for communication.

The compromise of the Ghost platform by international law enforcement (including French and Australian authorities) led to significant breakthroughs, resulting in arrests of senior figures, including the gang’s leader — a convicted heroin dealer.

Community and Sporting Connections Raise Questions

The case has drawn attention due to Mills’ prominent role in local football and his association with Conor McGregor’s Black Forge FC. The presence of other convicted criminals, such as Graham Whelan, on the same team has raised questions about the intersection of sport, celebrity, and organised crime in Dublin.

Simon Cavanagh’s involvement in a separate high-profile assault case (reported elsewhere) has further highlighted concerns about individuals with public-facing roles in community sports being linked to serious criminal activity.

Implications for Sport, Business and Organised Crime in Ireland

This case once again highlights the challenge of organised crime groups using seemingly legitimate businesses and community figures to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking. The involvement of a local football hero associated with a high-profile club like Black Forge FC adds a troubling dimension, raising questions about due diligence in community sports and celebrity-backed initiatives.

The dramatic attempt by Joyce Partridge to swallow her engagement ring during the CAB raid underscores the high stakes involved when criminal assets are targeted. While her obstruction case was resolved with a charitable donation, the wider money laundering investigation continues to dismantle the financial infrastructure of “The Family”.

As CAB and gardaí continue to target encrypted communications and front businesses, more convictions linked to this gang are expected in the coming months. The case serves as a reminder that no one — regardless of sporting achievements or public profile — is above the law when it comes to profiting from serious organised crime.

The victims of “The Family’s” drug trade — individuals and communities devastated by heroin and cocaine addiction — continue to bear the real human cost of these financial crimes.