Courts / Dublin / Report

Facial recognition software uncovered welfare theft, court hears

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, software used by the Department of Social Protection to analyse profile pictures and signatures helped uncover the theft of €16,000 in welfare benefits by a Ukrainian man. Dmytro Kedrych, 40, of Santry, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at the social welfare office in The Square, Tallaght, and was jailed for 18 months. Kedrych had entered Ireland in 2006 on a fake Latvian passport bought in Poland, worked under a false name, and after losing his job in 2011 began claiming jobseeker's benefit and rent allowance, which he was not entitled to as a Ukrainian citizen. In 2013 he married an Irish citizen, became eligible for welfare benefits, and then claimed more benefits under his own name, providing a photograph and digital signature.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Facial recognition software uncovered welfare theft, court hears. Charges or matters: two sample counts of theft at the social welfare office in The Square, Tallaght. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• February 2011 Incident
• January 28, 2014 Incident
• 2015-05-21 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Pair jailed for preying on innocent shooting victim in 'vicious extortion racket'
• 'Fun loving' drug dealer jailed over possession of €90k in crime cash
• 'I'm doing my job as a mum': court hears exchange between mother and accused son
• Separated husband spared conviction despite alleged threat to throw former wife out window
• Serial criminal set car ablaze after release from Melanie McCarthy-McNamara manslaughter sentence
• Drug dealer further sentenced for 'crudely' laundering own crime cash

Read the original CNI report