Courts / Dublin / Report
Fraudster conned St Vincent de Paul out of €20k
Summary
Gareth White, 33, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after defrauding a woman and the Society of St Vincent de Paul of over €20,000 by claiming the money was needed for urgent medical expenses. White had previously failed to repay a €10,000 cheque to the woman, which bounced and was recovered by the bank. He pleaded guilty to deception charges against both victims in October and November 2020. The court found that the money was actually used to pay gambling debts, and that White's gambling addiction had spiraled beyond his control. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three-and-a-half years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including a five‑year ban on gambling. White admitted the charity's funds were misused and that he had no legitimate medical need for the money. The case highlighted the extent of White's financial fraud and his ongoing gambling problem.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Fraudster conned St Vincent de Paul out of €20k. Charges or matters: deception charges against The Society of St Vincent de Paul and the woman on dates between October and November 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 2020 Incident
- 2021-10-19 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: deception charges against The Society of St Vincent de Paul and the woman on dates between October and November 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: An on-bail fraudster who conned a woman and a charity out of €30,000 by claiming to need it for medical expenses has been jailed for two-and-a-half years. Judge Greally sentenced White to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including that he refrain from gambling for five years.
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