Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said a quote published in his name promoting a planned crypto technology resort in Timor-Leste was manufactured and he knew nothing about the proposed development.

Ahern was reacting to a joint Guardian and Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) report that revealed three people connected with the proposed development have been indicted by the US department of justice for allegedly operating Cambodian forced-labour compounds.

The US government seized $15 billion (€13 billion) worth of Bitcoin from Prince Group chief executive Chen Zhi for allegedly forcing people to work in compounds to carry out cryptocurrency frauds that stole billions from victims worldwide.

The investigation…