Courts / Dublin / Report

Pensioner scammer caught when welfare officers tried to present father with Presidential cheque for turning 100

Summary

Reginald O'Donnell, 64, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year jail term after pleading guilty to three counts of theft from the Department of Social Protection. The offences, dated 2002, 2007 and 2011, involved him claiming pension payments on behalf of his deceased father, Thomas O'Donnell, who had died in 1988. Social welfare inspectors discovered the fraud when they attempted to present a Presidential Bounty cheque to Thomas in 2009. O'Donnell admitted the theft, repaid the €597, and the judge noted his age, cooperation and prior admissions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Pensioner scammer caught when welfare officers tried to present father with Presidential cheque for turning 100. Charges or matters: three sample counts of theft from the Department of Social Protection. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 2009 Other
• 2007 and 2011 Other
• 2017-05-05 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report