Conor McGregor’s sexual assault case exposes ties to Kinahan cartel, gang involved in 20 murders

Conor McGregor's sexual assault case has brought attention to his connections with one of the world's most dangerous organized crime groups, responsible for up to 20 murders across four countries.

McGregor, once the highest-paid athlete globally, suffered significant damage to his reputation after a jury found him guilty of assaulting Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel.

The MMA fighter faced allegations of "brutally raping and battering" former hair colorist Ms. Hand during a drink- and cocaine-fueled Christmas "after-party" in a Dublin hotel penthouse.

The case highlighted the UFC superstar's reckless lifestyle, his links to Ireland’s infamous Kinahan cartel, and the power he wields in Dublin.

The Kinahan cartel, one of the most notorious crime syndicates globally, is led by Daniel Kinahan, who has a $15 million (£12 million) bounty on his head.

Kinahan, a former boxing promoter and advisor to Tyson Fury, is wanted by law enforcement across Europe and the US. He is now believed to be a key figure in a Dubai-based "super cartel."

McGregor’s connection to the Kinahan cartel comes through his sister Aoife, who is in a relationship with convicted drug dealer and money launderer Graham "The Wig" Whelan.

Whelan, 41, is a reputed mobster affiliated with the cartel, which is believed to be behind numerous gangland killings in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The Kinahan cartel, founded in Dublin in the late 1990s, has left a violent trail across Europe through drug and arms trafficking, as well as its fierce rivalry with Irish gangster Gerry "The Monk" Hutch.

Aoife has been dating Whelan since 2021 and publicly shared their relationship last year with a photo of them at McGregor’s pub, the Black Forge Inn, in Dublin’s Crumlin neighborhood.

The image showed the couple sitting together on a couch with a large glass of whiskey on the table, Aoife leaning in closely with one arm around Whelan’s shoulder and the other resting on his leg.

Whelan has also played football matches for the pub's team and has been photographed with McGregor on several occasions.

The Instagram picture is believed to have been taken shortly after Whelan was released from prison, where he served an 18-month sentence for money laundering.