Meet Anthony Dean: The “Graft Master” of Bouncy Castles and Drug Laundering
Picture this: a pizza restaurant owner dabbling in the high-stakes game of illegal money laundering through his bouncy castle business. Yep, Anthony Dean, self-proclaimed “graft master,” has transformed inflatable fun into a vehicle for dirty cash. Who knew bouncy castles could be so… versatile?
Let’s give a round of applause for technology! Dean thought he’d found the ultimate way to keep his secrets under wraps with EncroChat. But like a toddler with a crayon, he slipped up. One poorly timed selfie revealed more than just hair regrets — it exposed his entire operation to the police, who then seized luxury watches and uncovered a multi-million-pound scheme with an equally mysterious co-conspirator, “El Pandrino.” Partner or sidekick? We’ll let you decide.
In Liverpool Crown Court, one can only imagine the eyerolls as prosecutors revealed Dean’s EncroChat handle, “OctoJam,” and how his accomplice, William Swann, went by “OctoRain.” Clearly, working in organized crime does not require creativity in usernames. Their conversations, intercepted like a spy thriller, detailed quantities of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis that would make even the most seasoned drug lord raise an eyebrow: 13.5 kg of heroin and 62 kg of cannabis in just four months!
Dean’s not-so-humble bragging didn’t stop there. He texted Swann about their “serious paper” and how their customers were “little goldmines.” Because who doesn’t love the idea of laundering money while simultaneously playing the role of a bouncy castle aficionado? They even strategized about having “£100,000 in the house,” which sounded less like a business plan and more like a treasure map for an ill-fated pirate adventure.
Not to be outdone, Swann made a bid for the “Most Creative Criminal” award by trying to source a brand new handgun because, of course, second-hand firearms are a risk too high for the likes of them. It’s as if their criminal mastermind training came directly from a comedy script rather than a real life scenario.
On January 30, law enforcement finally caught up with this dynamic duo. Dean was nabbed while driving his BMW—a vehicle far too fancy for a bouncy castle entrepreneur—and police discovered crypto keys and designer watches at his place. Just another Tuesday, right? But let’s not forget the gruesome missive indicating that “working in drugs was hard graft.” Who said crime doesn’t come with its own challenges?
In the end, both Dean and Swann learned the hard way that the allure of easy money doesn’t come without its consequences. Dean was sentenced to 16 years in prison, while Swann received 14 years. All for the unforgettable dream of selling drugs and bouncy castles under one roof. Their saga serves as a cautionary tale for wannabe criminals everywhere: When bouncy castles become involved, you might just find yourself in a whole different kind of “bounce.”
