Courts / Dublin / Report

Chartered accountant jailed for stealing over €450k from clients

Date
2016-05-12
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Stephen Cheung, a 39‑year‑old chartered accountant, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to 18 theft offences. Between 2009 and 2013 he stole €454,309 from nearly 20 former clients, acting as their liquidator. Cheung, who had a gambling addiction that began in 2004, turned himself in to Gardaí in January 2014 after feeling pressured and suicidal. He has four young sons and a stepdaughter, and his partner's low‑paid payroll job left the family financially strained. Cheung cooperated fully with the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and had no prior convictions. He had been attending Gambler Anonymous meetings and giving talks on addiction. Judge Patrick McCartan noted Cheung's courage in reporting the thefts but imposed the sentence because the thefts caused significant loss to the beneficiaries.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Chartered accountant jailed for stealing over €450k from clients. Charges or matters: 18 offences involving the theft of an amount totalling €454,309 from nearly 20 clients between 2009 and 2013. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: However, he said that he had to hand down a prison sentence because of the serious nature of Mr. CNI source report

Case subjects

Stephen Cheung

Convicted Person

Charges: 18 offences involving the theft of an amount totalling €454,309 from nearly 20 clients between 2009 and 2013 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Photo: Collins) By Liz Farsaci A chartered accountant struggling with a gambling addition has been jailed for two years for taking more than €400,000 from former clients.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Residence

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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