Courts / Dublin / Report
Dubliner sold bogus package holidays to friends to engage in "cocaine lifestyle", court hears
Summary
Aaron Weinrib, 37, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight theft and fraud charges for selling 20 bogus holiday packages between June and December 2010. He claimed to be an agent for "Top Flight" and sold packages to New York, Las Vegas and Cape Town, collecting €27,600. Gardaí received complaints in November 2010 from two men who paid €3,200 and €550 for non‑existent stays; both received forged Top Flight documents. Weinrib admitted the holidays were never booked, that he intended to refund victims, and that he had never worked for Top Flight. He has raised €9,900 and requested more time to pay compensation. The judge adjourned the case to 22 July, noting he will use half his €400 weekly wage to repay victims. The case remains at the pleading stage, with no custodial sentence imposed yet.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Dubliner sold bogus package holidays to friends to engage in "cocaine lifestyle", court hears. Charges or matters: eight sample charges of theft and fraud on dates between June 2010 and December 2010. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 22 Adjournment
- November 2010 Adjournment
- 2015-04-17 Publication
Why: "At first brush it seems idiotic but it goes deeper than that because we are dealing with an intelligent man," Mr Staines told Judge Ring and submitted that it was "a head in the sand scenario". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: eight sample charges of theft and fraud on dates between June 2010 and December 2010 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He has recently been diagnosed as bi-polar. "At first brush it seems idiotic but it goes deeper than that because we are dealing with an intelligent man," Mr Staines told Judge Ring and submitted that it was "a head in the sand scenario". "I would say that it is more than a head in the sand at this stage," Judge Ring commented, "he doesn't seem to be taking seriously that he is facing a custodial sentence at the moment." She previously adjourned the case after acknowledging that Weinrib intends to use half of his current weekly wage of €400 to refund his victims.; He has recently been diagnosed as bi-polar. "At first brush it seems idiotic but it goes deeper than that because we are dealing with an intelligent man," Mr Staines told Judge Ring and submitted that it was "a head in the sand scenario". "I would say that it is more than a head in the sand at this stage," Judge Ring commented, "he doesn't seem to be taking seriously that he is facing a custodial
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Mandela Rhodes Place
Topics
Drugs Fraud Stage Sentence Theft
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