A Dutch man, Naoufal Fassih, 35, appeared before the High Court on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Dutch authorities. Sergeant Sean Fallon informed counsel for the Minister for Justice and Equality that Dutch police seek charges of assault, money laundering and possession of false documents. Fassih, born in Rotterdam, is already in custody on another matter, and the Gardaí will oppose bail. Justice Aileen Donnelly remanded him in custody until May 9, when a hearing date will be set.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Irish Life Assurance CEO Denis Casey, aged 56, testified that he only learned of a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme with Anglo Irish Bank through media reports months after the alleged deception. The scheme, allegedly designed to inflate Anglo's 2008 balance sheet, involved Anglo loaning €7.2 billion to Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), which then placed the same amount back with Anglo, recorded as customer deposits. Casey, along with former senior bankers Peter Fitzpatrick (63), John Bowe (52), and Willie McAteer (65), pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors between 1 March and 30 September 2008. Evidence presented included testimony from Kevin Murphy, who said he first became aware of the deals via February 2009 media reports and later detailed information from the regulator. The jury heard that Murphy succeeded Casey as ILP Group Chief Executive in mid‑2009.
John Joe Synnott, a 60‑year‑old Garda from Camblin Hill, New Ross, was convicted in 2011 of deception and corruption related to an alleged car crash that never occurred. He pleaded not guilty to three charges concerning a reported traffic accident on 9 September 2007, but a jury found him guilty on all counts. The judge sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. Synnott had been the investigating officer who reported that an Audi A4 had collided with a parked Subaru Imprezza, leading AXA Insurance to pay €23,352. He admitted calling the Garda Information Service to report the accident and not attending the scene. In October 2011 he was granted bail pending an appeal, which was opened today on several grounds, including alleged misdirection of the jury and improper definition of "induced.".
Bernadette Warnock, 63, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 71 counts of theft and fraud committed between 2009 and 2011, totalling €116,226. The offences allegedly occurred while she managed the finances of Positive Action Ltd, a Hepatitis C support group. Judge Melanie Greally described the conduct as a "most grievous offence" committed by an individual with a history of fraud, noting Warnock had four previous convictions for forging cheques. Although the validated procedural stage is sentence, the matter was adjourned until October to allow Warnock to raise compensation for a new group replacing Positive Action. She was remanded on bail. The judge explicitly stated this adjournment should not be interpreted as an indication that Warnock will receive a non-custodial sentence. Prosecution evidence, presented by Sinead McGrath BL, indicated that chairperson Antoinette Fitzgerald reported financial irregularities. Garda Wayne Donnelly testified that Warnock forged a co-director's signature on cheques and manipulated the charity's finance system to divert funds. Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy BL stated Warnock had €8,500 available and expected an inheritance to cover half the outstanding amount. He also highlighted her health issues and prior dedication to the charity.
In March 2016 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Alice Warnock, a 54‑year‑old former Bank of Ireland employee, had taken €144,089 from the bank between November 2004 and March 2012. She transferred amounts ranging from €600 to €5,000 from the bank's internal administration account into her own accounts and those of family members, and she had fabricated narratives to make the transactions appear legitimate. The bank discovered the fraud in May 2012 while Warnock was on sick leave. She pleaded guilty to nine counts of stealing from bank branches on Talbot Street and Malahide Road, Coolock. Warnock, who had no prior convictions, expressed remorse and said she felt like a fool. She had lost her job and was a full‑time carer for her sick, elderly parents.
John Murphy, 66, a travel agent from Killiney, Dublin, stands trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on four counts of theft. He founded the Children to Lapland Appeal in 1987, a charity that flew terminally ill children to Lapland, and served as its director until the organisation was liquidated in 2012. Murphy also ran United Travel, a travel agency that operated a route to Lapland. Bank records presented by prosecutor Garrett McCormack show that between June and July 2010, Murphy deposited four cheques from the charity's account into his personal account, totalling €18,643. The cheques were signed by Joseph Reid, a fellow director who testified that he signed blank cheques in batches for convenience, and that the money belonged to the charity. Reid expressed horror at the alleged fraud. Murphy's counsel, Patrick Reynolds, argued that the cheques were for business expenses and questioned the nature of the signatures. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a 2016 decision, the Court of Appeal ruled that evidence linked to an associate of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi could be presented at Dublin District Court. Frank Agrama, based in Los Angeles, had sought a judicial review of the Justice Minister's appointment of a judge to take this evidence for an Italian criminal investigation. The Court, citing the complexity of the case and the involvement of multiple parties, denied leave for the review. It noted that Agrama had been charged with aggravated misappropriation and tax fraud, was acquitted of the former, and that the Italian prosecutor had appealed the acquittal of the latter. The Court also highlighted that the Italian Supreme Court appeal would be heard in March 2016, and that the evidence would be considered at the District Court hearing scheduled for 2 pm on the day of the ruling.
An associate of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Frank Agrama, has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to bring judicial review proceedings against the Irish Justice Minister's appointment of Judge John O'Neill to take evidence relevant to Agrama for transmission to Italian authorities. Agrama, who denies the charges, was acquitted in 2014 of aggravated misappropriation and tax fraud, but the Italian prosecution has appealed the acquittal. The Minister's nomination of Judge O'Neill was refused leave by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, who said the appointment was ultra vires because the material was intended for an Italian appeal, not an Irish investigation. The taking of evidence from two witnesses has been fixed for the Dublin District Court. Agrama's counsel, Paul Gardiner SC, argues the Minister acted ultra vires and seeks a judicial review.
A Moldovan plasterer, Ruslan Cornea, 38, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €1,500 from an AIB ATM on 3 January 2015. Cornea claimed he had been given the ATM card by an unknown man he met in a casino, who promised him €150 for the withdrawal. He later told gardaí that the arrangement seemed odd in hindsight. Garda Philip Byrne explained that a genuine cheque had been altered by a third party to withdraw €6,850 from a customer's account, and that the customer was reimbursed after AIB discovered the fraud. CCTV identified Cornea making the €1,500 withdrawal, but he denied any role in lodging or modifying the cheque. Cornea has 11 prior convictions, including possession of a fraudulent cheque, unstamped cigarettes, theft, and a fake Romanian ID. His defence lawyer, Luigi Rea, noted that Cornea had arrived in Ireland in 2018, struggled with unemployment, and had turned to gambling.
Noel Smith otherwise Smyth, 53, of Gorey, Co Wexford, has appealed his conviction for harassment, making an unwarranted demand with menaces, and money laundering alleged between April and June 2009. At Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court, Smith pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury. On April 7, 2014, Judge Gerard Giffin sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The prosecution alleged Smith pressured a named individual to pay for drugs and made threatening calls to the individual's mother. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC argued that police entry into Smith's dwelling was unlawful, noting Smith was "present with a pitchfork" when gardaí arrived with a warrant under section 29 of the Offences Against the State Act, a provision later ruled unconstitutional. Farrell contended that a detective sergeant's later assertion of section 6 arrest powers was a "legal confection" manufactured after the event, as the officer did not invoke such powers at the time. He described the silent invocation of police entry powers as "wholly obnoxious to Irish law." The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice John Edwards, heard the arguments and reserved judgment. The matter remains pending, with no final decision issued.
In 2016 the Supreme Court granted the State permission to appeal the Court of Appeal's decision in Chinguara & Others v Minister for Justice and Equality. The case concerned a non‑national family who had been refused refugee status in 2008 and subsidiary protection in 2011, after which the Minister issued deportation orders. The High Court had found no grounds for judicial review and the family had avoided deportation by changing address. In 2015 they sought an undertaking that they would not be deported while their appeal was pending; the State refused, so they applied to the Court of Appeal for an injunction. The Court of Appeal held that the parents' case was arguable but that the children, innocent of their parents' deception, could not be subjected to deportation. It granted an injunction against deportation for both parents and children.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four former Anglo Irish Bank executives—Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe—were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating an artificial €7.2 billion increase in the bank's customer deposits between March and September 2008. Prosecutor Paul O'Higgins described a scheme involving repeated interbank transfers, including a €1 billion move from Anglo to Irish Life and back, and a €978 million transfer from an Isle of Man subsidiary that was later reversed. The alleged transactions had no commercial substance and were intended solely to inflate Anglo's financial position. All four pleaded not guilty. The case, heard by Judge Martin Nolan, included testimony from Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and former Anglo employees. The trial focused on the alleged deceptive financial manoeuvres and the executives' alleged intent to deceive investors.
The Circuit Criminal Court began a trial on 20 January 2016 involving four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent. The defendants – William McAteer (65), Denis Casey (56), Peter Fitzpatrick (63) and John Bowe (52) – are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable between 1 March and 30 September 2008. They pleaded not guilty. The case will hear from dozens of witnesses, including 14 Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and former employees of Anglo, ILP, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland and RBC Capital Bank. The trial is expected to last about five months before a jury of fifteen, sworn two weeks earlier, will decide the matter. The prosecution, represented by Paul O'Higgins SC, will open the proceedings before Judge Martin Nolan.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent executives, including Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe, has been postponed to the following Wednesday. The defendants are charged with conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate Anglo's value by €7.2 billion between 1 March and 30 September 2008. They have all pleaded not guilty. An expanded jury of 15 was sworn in at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and the case is expected to last about five months. The hearing will feature testimony from 14 Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation officers, former Anglo staff and employees of Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland and RBC Capital Bank London. The trial will proceed after the jury's rescheduled return.
Two former Anglo Irish Bank executives, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, are appealing convictions for conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts sought by Revenue. O'Mahoney, aged 56, received a three‑year sentence; Daly received two years. The Court of Appeal was told that the trial judge's rulings were erroneous and that evidence presented was flawed, including cross‑examination of witness Brian Gillespie, an email from Ms. Aoife Maguire, evidence from James Shaw, and unedited interviews of Mr. Daly. The defence argued that these pieces of evidence unfairly altered the case from circumstantial to direct, prejudicing the accused. The appeal also highlighted that the investigation was outsourced to an internal fraud investigator and that the statutory time limit for charging the offences had not been met. The case remains before the Court of Appeal.
Jury selection was completed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the trial of four former financial executives accused of conspiring to mislead investors. William McAteer, John Bowe, Denis Casey, and Peter Fitzpatrick have all pleaded not guilty to allegations that they conspired to make Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1 and September 30, 2008. Judge Martin Nolan described the proceedings as a complex financial fraud trial expected to last 20 weeks. The empanelling process concluded after a potential juror suffered a panic attack, resulting in a 15-member jury of eight men and seven women. Several individuals were excused from service due to conflicts of interest, including employment in financial services, shareholding in Anglo, or holding strong views on the bank. Judge Nolan instructed the sworn jury not to investigate the case online or discuss it with others, emphasizing the need for an open mind. He listed potential witnesses, including Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and employees from Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland, and RBC Capital Bank. The judge stated that evidence is unlikely to begin until the week after next, with jurors instructed to return to court the following Monday unless contacted by Courts Services regarding any changes.
Breifne O'Brien, 54, lost an appeal against a seven‑year jail sentence for a €8.5 million Ponzi scheme. He had pleaded guilty to 14 counts of deception and theft between 2003 and 2008 and was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan on 8 October 2014. O'Brien argued that the judge failed to consider mitigating factors such as his lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, remorse, cooperation, loss of social standing and restitution efforts. Judge Garrett Sheehan dismissed the appeal, stating that adequate consideration had been given to these factors and that the seven‑year term was appropriate. The appeal was heard by Sheehan, George Birmingham and John Edwards. O'Brien made no reaction to the judgment. The case was noted as distinct from most other appeals before the Court of Appeal.
In a court hearing on 14 December 2015, it was revealed that a woman was deceived into purchasing a stolen Toyota Vitz for €4,300 after seeing it advertised on Done Deal. Garda Martina Drew explained that the seller, Stewart Crosbie, 45, was identified through a smartphone photo taken by the woman's suspicious friend. Crosbie later admitted he had passed the money to a third party owing him a drug debt. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing the same stolen vehicle in January 2015 and was serving a partially suspended three‑year sentence for a similar offence in November 2014. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an eight‑month sentence to run consecutively to the time Crosbie was already serving, as he was on bail when he committed the offence. The woman discovered the deception upon returning home when the vehicle's registration did not match the documents, prompting her to contact the Gardaí.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Meath insurance broker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. She had taken out 38 fictitious life‑insurance policies, receiving €109,000 in commission, but the insurer was repaid and no one suffered loss. The court imposed a four‑year suspended sentence and ordered 240 hours of unpaid community service to be completed within 12 months. Judge Martin Nolan confirmed the suspended sentence, noting that Dooley's fitness to carry out the work would be assessed medically; if unfit the suspension would remain. No prior convictions were recorded, and the insurer's complaint in 2013 led to the investigation and her arrest. The case concluded with a favourable probation report and the judge's final sentencing.
John Leamy, a 51‑year‑old businessman from Aspen Lawn, Clonsilla, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming nearly €100,000 in VAT through fake invoices. The fraud, which spanned from January 2008 to February 2009, involved five counts of submitting incorrect VAT returns and two counts of failing to file annual tax returns for 2008 and 2009. Leamy, who had become addicted to blackjack and heavy drinking after his marriage ended, used 16 fabricated invoices to claim €99,817.67 in VAT and then drew cash from his company, JT Digital Ltd., by writing cheques payable to himself. The case was uncovered when his accountant, Paschal Murphy, noticed an error in the VAT percentage on two invoices from Printscene, a supplier of JT Digital, and reported the matter to the Revenue Commissioners. The prosecution, led by John Byrne BL, presented evidence that Leamy admitted providing false information to his accountant. John Leamy pleaded guilty.
John Leamy, a 51‑year‑old businessman from Aspen Lawn, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of submitting incorrect VAT returns and two counts of failing to file annual tax returns for 2008 and 2009. He used 16 fake invoices to fraudulently claim €99,817.67 in VAT between January 2008 and February 2009. The fraud was uncovered after his accountant, Paschal Murphy, noticed an error in the VAT percentage on two invoices from Printscene, a supplier of Leamy's print brokerage company JT Digital Ltd. Murphy discovered that Printscene had never issued the invoices and reported the matter to the Revenue Commissioners. Leamy admitted to providing false information to his accountant during questioning in November 2012. He has no prior convictions, lives with a friend, does not work, and rarely leaves his room to avoid alcohol and gambling. The judge adjourned the case until the following day.
The High Court will decide in the New Year on the United States' extradition request for Gary Davis, a 27‑year‑old Wicklow man alleged to have been an administrator of the Silk Road website. Davis faces US charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which could carry a life sentence if he is convicted. He argues that extradition would expose him to inhuman and degrading conditions, citing his Asperger's Syndrome and depression. The State insists he should be surrendered. The court heard a sworn statement from UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Professor Juan Mendez, who expressed concerns about the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in New York where Davis would likely be held. Mendez's concerns focus on the impact of isolation on Davis's mental health.
An Algerian man, Amine Laib, aged 25, was jailed for one year after using a French passport under the name "Riadh Karim Laheen" to obtain a PPS number and claim €17,768 in Jobseeker's Allowance from 2012 to 2014. The fraud was uncovered when Laib applied for a PPS number as an asylum seeker under his real name and facial‑recognition software matched the photos from the PPS number issued to his assumed identity. Laib pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of stealing cheques for €124 from the Department of Social Protection and to making a false French passport. He had no prior convictions. The judge noted Laib was "an intelligent, ambitious and very hard‑working young man" but imposed a custodial sentence to deter similar offences. The case highlighted the use of dual identities to claim social welfare payments.
An Algerian national, Amine Laib, aged 25, used a false French passport under the name Riadh Karim Laheen to obtain a PPS number and claimed over €17,000 in Jobseeker's Allowance from 2012 to 2014. The fraud was uncovered when Laib applied for a PPS number as an asylum seeker under his real name in 2014, and facial‑recognition software matched his photographs to those on file for the assumed identity. He pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of theft of €124 from the Department of Social Protection and to making a false French passport. Laib admitted using both names because, as an Algerian citizen, he had no employment rights in Ireland and wanted to work. Garda Keith Morrissey reported that a social welfare inspector had alerted authorities to the fraud, leading to the seizure of documents from Laib's home.
David Ward (30) and Lynsey Ivory (27) staged a car crash to claim insurance. They pretended to be strangers, but FBD Insurance discovered they appeared in each other's Facebook profile pictures. Both pleaded guilty to attempting to defraud FBD between July 2013 and January 2014. Ward was the front‑seat passenger in an Opel Corsa that rear‑ended Ivory's Volkswagen Passat. They claimed injuries but denied knowing each other to Gardaí. Ward had seven prior convictions; Ivory had none. Judge Martin Nolan suspended one year of Ward's two‑year sentence, citing deterrence, and fully suspended Ivory's two‑year sentence because she had no prior convictions. Ward was jailed for one year, with the suspended portion not counted as custodial time. Both were married and have two children. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Ward (30) and Volkswagen Passat Lynsey Ivory (27), both of The Beeches, Clonshaugh, Priorswood, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to dishonestly by deception cause a loss to FBD Insurance on dates between July 22, 2013 and January 1, 2014. Both admitted to the charges and pleaded guilty. The case is at the sentence stage. Ward and Ivory were involved in a staged car crash where they pretended to be strangers. They were discovered when an FBD Insurance claims handler noted their appearance in each other's Facebook profile pictures. Both submitted personal injury claims to FBD Insurance, denying knowledge of each other during the investigation. Garda Neill Plunkett stated that inconsistencies in their accounts and the lack of airbag deployment raised suspicions. Ward has seven previous convictions for offences including criminal damage and theft, while Ivory has no convictions. The couple have two children and have since married. The matter will be sentenced tomorrow.
Thomas Coffey, 31, of Carlow, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to stealing €4,800 from 81‑year‑old Sinclair Downey in September 2013. Coffey, who had 19 prior convictions including four for theft, was part of a fraud ring that overcharged Downey for roof work. Garda Colleen Doherty described how Coffey and accomplice Patrick O'Brien called Downey's home, claiming he owed further payments for unauthorised work, and then accompanied him to a bank to withdraw the cash. CCTV footage captured the men waiting with Downey and receiving the money. Coffey was arrested in Kerry in November 2013 and later admitted his role after a mobile‑phone call was found. The judge described the offence as an "odious crime" and noted Coffey's psychiatric treatment at Kerry General Hospital. O'Brien, 32, was jailed for four years for a similar theft of €14,200 from Downey.
Breifne O'Brien, 54, has lodged an appeal against a seven‑year prison sentence imposed on 8 October 2014 for 14 counts of deception that yielded about €8.5 million between 2003 and 2008. The appeal argues that Judge Patricia Ryan did not adequately consider mitigating factors such as O'Brien's lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, remorse, cooperation, family circumstances and loss of social standing. Counsel Patrick McGrath SC also cited the negative publicity that turned O'Brien into a "social pariah" and the "Irish Bernie Madoff" label, claiming this public humiliation should have influenced sentencing. He further highlighted O'Brien's restitution efforts, including a €420,000 return and attempts to repay larger sums, and the lack of reference to these in the judge's remarks. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerida Naidoo SC, acknowledged the restitution but noted no further repayments were made. Judge George Birmingham, with Justices Garrett Sheehan and John Edwards, will reserve judgment and deliver a decision soon.
Albert Monahan, aged 73, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of theft and one count of producing a false instrument. He had fraudulently collected his brother Peter's State pension for seven years, receiving 356 weekly payments of €219, totalling €77,964. Monahan had assumed his brother's identity, forging a signature to apply for the pension and collecting it at Berkeley Road Post Office. He claimed the money was used to install new bay windows, new floors and to stock his fridge with food. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended a four‑year sentence in full, citing Monahan's poor health, including several heart attacks and triple bypass surgery. Monahan admitted the fraud immediately and expressed remorse, offering to repay the Department of Social Protection by deduction from his legitimate social welfare payments.
Jonathan McLoughlin, 34, of Sheephill Park, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aiding and abetting an unknown person in a deception offence in August 2013. He had previously been convicted of criminal damage and possession of a knife. McLoughlin admitted that he had been receiving small amounts of cannabis and that he had provided his bank card and account details to an unknown man. The scam involved advertising tickets for the Electric Picnic on the Donedeal website and a man who had posted an ad for a car engine. A total of €2,630 was transferred to McLoughlin's account, most of which was withdrawn from ATMs. Gardaí stopped the account after the victims reported it, and the balance of €1,845 was frozen. McLoughlin was not arrested until February 2014, when he made admissions. The case was adjourned to January to allow a Probation Service report.
A 38‑year‑old man named Noor Khan, who was wanted in Northern Ireland for alleged fraud offences, appeared before the High Court in Dublin on 19 October 2015. He was arrested by Gardaí at the British Embassy on Merrion Road under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the UK on 15 October 2015 and endorsed by Justice Aileen Donnelly. Sergeant Sean Fallon, on duty at the embassy, identified Khan, arrested him at 2.25 pm, cautioned him and presented the original warrant. Khan was taken to Donnybrook Garda Station, processed as an arrested person, and later collected a passport from the embassy. The State's counsel, Ms Anne‑Marie Lawlor, requested that Khan be remanded in custody until 3 November 2015. Judge Hunt agreed, stating it was appropriate to keep Khan in custody for Section 16 purposes until that date, and instructed the respondent's counsel to pursue bail thereafter.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Meath insurance broker and on‑air financial adviser, pleaded guilty to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms to obtain €109,000 in commission from 38 fictitious life insurance policies between November 2010 and September 2011. The policies were taken out using false information; the insured parties were unaware and suffered no loss. Dooley's commission was paid by New Ireland Assurance plc, and the company has since been repaid. The court, after noting the breach of trust and the lack of loss, imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with strict conditions, including 240 hours of unpaid community work. The case was adjourned to December 7, 2015 to assess her suitability for the work. No prior convictions were recorded.
Faizal Baccus, a 36‑year‑old Mauritian national, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defrauding at least 11 people by selling them cars that were not roadworthy and intended for scrap. He advertised the vehicles on donedeal.ie, claiming they had recently passed the National Car Test (NCT) and were taxed, and supplied customers with forged NCT certificates, tax discs and log books. Baccus pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including dishonestly inducing purchase by deception, making false NCT certificates and log books, and possessing equipment to forge documents. He had four prior convictions for road traffic offences and had lived in Ireland for eight years before losing his security job and starting the scam. After serving his sentence, he is to be deported to Mauritius. The judge noted Baccus's ability, education and energy, and acknowledged his cooperation with the Garda investigation and expression of remorse.
Alina Onofrei, a 31‑year‑old Romanian mother of three, was sentenced to a suspended two and a half‑year term for fraudulently obtaining work and welfare benefits in Ireland. She had purchased a fake Lithuanian passport for €800 and used it to secure employment in a supermarket. Between August 2009 and September 2010 she claimed over €8,000 in maternity and illness benefits, presenting a doctor's letter with a false name. The court noted that she could not legally work in Ireland at the time because Romania was not yet an EU member. Onofrei pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and cooperated with Gardaí, expressing remorse. The judge suspended the entire sentence, citing her desperate need for employment and her husband's concurrent three‑year prison term for social welfare fraud. No further penalties were imposed beyond the suspended sentence.
In a High Court case, Vivier Mortgages Ltd (formerly Home Funding Corporation) sought to re‑enter a repossession order against Patrick Cummins and his wife Christine Cummins for their Hills Lot Rosegreen property in Cashel, Co. Tipperary. The lender claimed the couple had drawn €1.39 million in 2001, with only €26,000 repaid, and that no payments had been made since 2011. The couple opposed the application, citing prejudice from a delay by the lender between 2008 and 2010 and the founder Ian Leaf's imprisonment and fraud convictions. The court, hearing the matter, was informed that the parties had settled the dispute and no decision was required. No settlement terms were read in open court, and the case was dismissed without a judgment. The settlement ended the lender's attempt to recover the loan and take possession of the property.
Aaron Weinrib, 37, of Cambridge Villas, Rathmines, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight theft and fraud charges for selling bogus package holidays between June and December 2010. He marketed three holiday packages to New York, Las Vegas and Cape Town, claiming to be an agent for "Top Flight". Weinrib admitted he had never worked for Top Flight and that the documents he provided were forged. He stole €27,600 from 20 people, keeping €23,600 and returning €4,000. The court imposed a two‑year suspended sentence and ordered him to repay the remaining €23,600 over two years. The judge noted his cooperation, lack of prior convictions and the psychological report indicating anxiety, stress and a recent bipolar diagnosis. No further convictions or outcomes were mentioned in the article.
Stefan Onofrei, a 34-year-old Romanian national from Balbriggan, was sentenced to three years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to six sample charges of theft. The charges related to the fraudulent claiming of job seeker's benefit, job seeker's allowance, supplementary welfare allowance, emergency means payment, rent property supplement allowance, and family income supplement between January 9, 2009, and February 10, 2015. Prosecution evidence indicated Onofrei used a false identity to claim social welfare payments 463 times, with the State alleging a total loss of €97,207.24, although his defense disputed the figure, suggesting it was closer to €85,000. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as a serious fraud committed over a protracted period, noting that Onofrei engaged in a pattern of behavior to deceive the social welfare system. While acknowledging Onofrei's cooperation with the Garda investigation and his status as a hard-working family man, the judge imposed the custodial sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentence, concluding the proceedings.
The United States has requested the extradition of Gary Davis, 27, of Johnstown Court, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow, who is alleged to have been an administrator of the Silk Road website under the name 'Libertas'. The U.S. authorities charge him with conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering, offences that could carry a life sentence if he is convicted in the United States. Davis's counsel, John O'Kelly SC, argues that extradition would expose him to inhuman and degrading conditions in a medium‑security U.S. prison, citing his Asperger's Syndrome and depression. The request is being heard before Mr Justice Paul McDermott under the 1965 Act. The U.S. case relies on evidence seized from the Silk Road, including servers and undercover purchases, and claims Davis had explicit knowledge of the drugs and hacking software sold on the site between June and October 2013. The hearing is expected to last several days.
Breifne O'Brien, a 54‑year‑old former businessman, is set to appeal a seven‑year prison sentence imposed on 8 October 2014 for deceiving investors into advancing about €8.5 million for bogus property deals between 2003 and 2004. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of deception at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His counsel, Patrick McCullough BL, secured an extension to file the appeal, as O'Brien had missed the normal 28‑day filing window by four months, and also applied for legal aid. The Court of Appeal scheduled the hearing for 15 October, with the judge expecting it to last 45 minutes. O'Brien was absent from the procedural hearings in May and on the day of the listing. Solicitor Séamus Cassidy, Head of Appeals at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, confirmed that the DPP would not object to legal aid if the necessary paperwork is submitted.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank officials Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly, and Aoife Maguire continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The three defendants have pleaded not guilty to seven counts alleging they deleted or omitted accounts connected to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System or documentation provided to Revenue between 2003 and 2004. On day 16 of evidence, senior manager Zita Vance testified that she was asked by O'Mahoney to remove a name from documents requested by Revenue. Vance stated she was removed from the project team after refusing the instruction. She later told Anglo's fraud prevention officer that O'Mahoney was the individual who asked her to delete an account. Defence counsel for O'Mahoney noted that his client has no recollection of the conversations and denies making such requests. The court also heard from Monica Kearney, a former personal assistant to FitzPatrick, who identified an email sent to O'Mahoney in November 2003 detailing four account numbers. The matter is currently before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury, with the trial ongoing.
Bernard Flynn, 63, of Cannon Burke Flats, Cabra, Dublin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for committing €25,000 of social welfare fraud. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 sample charges of stealing from Social Protection at River Valley Post Office, River Valley Swords, between August 2011 and April 2014. The charges represented 123 visits to the post office for job seekers allowance and 13 visits for both job seekers and rent allowance under the name Brendan Flynn. Flynn used a different PPS number and date of birth to claim the benefits. He was caught using facial recognition software when Garda Sergeant Kevin Mention arrested him on 4 April 2014 after he collected both allowances. Flynn had ten previous convictions, including breach of the peace, larceny, careless driving, public order and illegal possession of Garda equipment.
Three former Anglo Irish Bank officials – Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly and Aoife Maguire – are on trial for alleged tax‑evasion offences in 2003 and 2004. The prosecution claims they hid offshore accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick and deleted references to these accounts from the bank's Core Banking System. The accused deny removing names from lists supplied to Revenue and deny deleting accounts. The trial heard that O'Mahoney had set up a team to assist Revenue's audit of the bank's compliance with Deposit Interest Retention Tax. Patrick Peake, a former fraud‑prevention officer, testified that the team gathered documents and searched for emails containing key names, including those of the accused. He also described a series of changes to FitzPatrick's account records, including name and address alterations, and the removal and re‑addition of FitzPatrick's name in 2004. The case is being heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of twelve. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank officials Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly, and Aoife Maguire continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury. The three accused, who have all pleaded not guilty to seven alleged offences committed in 2003 and 2004, are charged with attempting to hide bank accounts from the Revenue in an alleged tax evasion scheme. Specifically, Mr. Daly and Mr. O'Mahoney deny omitting the name of John Peter O'Toole from a list provided to the Revenue Commissioners, while Mr. O'Mahoney and Ms. Maguire deny attempting to delete six other accounts connected to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System. On day ten, former fraud officer Patrick Peake testified that Mr. O'Mahoney and Mr. FitzPatrick jointly received a US$1.2 million bridging loan in 1997 to fund a share deal. Mr. Peake also presented evidence that details on several closed accounts, including Lock Ltd/Susie Ltd and Carnahalla Ltd, were altered on the internal computer system years after closure. He noted that Mr. FitzPatrick's name was removed from a Triumvirate Properties Ltd account record between 2003 and 2012. The trial is ongoing, with Mr. Peake's evidence continuing before the court.
Dean O'Reilly, a 42‑year‑old former newspaper delivery man from Castlemoyne, Balgriffin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failing to remit VAT from January 2008 to December 2011. O'Reilly owed Revenue €246,206 in unpaid VAT, income tax, penalties and interest, with the unremitted VAT originally estimated at €69,699 and later revalued at €59,226. Revenue's investigation began when it discovered O'Reilly had received VAT‑inclusive payments from Newspread Ltd, a newspaper distribution company, and found he had made no VAT returns since 1995 or income tax returns since 1994. O'Reilly admitted he had not managed his accounts properly. He has five prior convictions for minor road traffic offences and receives unemployment and child benefits to support his family of four. The judge noted the seriousness of Revenue fraud, while acknowledging O'Reilly's role as a hard‑working family man.
Patrick Walsh, a 33‑year‑old former Canada Life tied agent from Bruff, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to 75 fraud and theft charges. Between February 2010 and November 2011, he created 38 fictitious insurance policies, using names similar to his own, his estranged wife's, or genuine clients, and received commissions and performance bonuses totalling about €265,000. He also stole €90,000 from Canada Life, which paid him for the fake policies, and paid €50,000 in bonuses. The fraudulent policies were worth €75,000, but Walsh profited €215,000, leaving Canada Life with a €230,000 loss. He admitted that the scheme began to finance a house he was building with his former partner, but the scheme spiralled out of control. The court described the conduct as a "long pattern of criminal behaviour" and imposed custodial custody, noting that no genuine policy holders were left out of pocket.
Patrick Walsh, a 33‑year‑old former Canada Life tied agent, admitted to creating 38 fictitious insurance policies between February 2010 and November 2011, generating €215,000 in fraudulent commissions and €50,000 in performance bonuses. He also stole 37 times from Canada Life, receiving commissions on the fake policies. The company suffered a loss of €230,000. Walsh claimed he fabricated policies to fund a house he was building with his estranged wife, but the scheme spiralled as he needed more money to keep the policies from lapsing. He paid €90,000 to produce the policies, which were worth €75,000 when discovered. Walsh also set up direct debits from genuine policyholders' accounts, refunding them from his own account when questioned. He pleaded guilty to 75 fraud and theft charges and is to be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Monday.
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court decision to extradite Trust Egharevba, an Irish‑citizen originally from Nigeria, to France on charges of human trafficking and money laundering. Egharevba, who lives in Castlecurragh Park, Dublin 15, denies any criminal involvement. The appeal questioned whether the alleged transnational offences fell outside the 2003 European Arrest Warrant Act and whether the laundering allegations could be prosecuted in Ireland. The Court found that money collected from prostitution and trafficking of Nigerian women was gathered in France, transferred to an Irish bank account, and then sent to Nigeria, satisfying the requirement that the offence occurred in the issuing state. The Supreme Court affirmed the High Court's ruling, dismissing the appeal and confirming the extradition under the European Arrest Warrant issued by Lyon authorities.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Patrick Peake, a former fraud officer, testified that an Anglo Irish Bank employee had created a computer programme to delete records of Susie Ltd from the bank's Dublin Investment System. Peake described an email sent to consultant Shane Crowley about a programme intended to remove the company's records. Susie Ltd, sharing an address with Anglo's Isle of Man branch, had directors and staff linked to that operation. Peake also revealed 275 cash withdrawals totalling €173,800 from John Peter O'Toole's account, with only four transactions supported by documentation. He presented evidence of monthly €410 payments from an account in the name of Sean and Triona Fitzpatrick, signed by "Mary O'Toole," and transfers of IRL£71,000 and US$22,460 to Susie Ltd. The case involves former officials Bernard Daly, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, and Aoife Maguire, who plead not guilty to seven alleged offences related to account deletions and omissions.
During the trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials accused of hiding accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick, evidence was presented showing connections between FitzPatrick's account and that of his brother‑in‑law, John Peter O'Toole. The accused—Bernard Daly, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Aoife Maguire—were alleged to have archived and concealed offshore accounts to evade Deposit Interest Retention Tax. They faced seven offences from 2003 and 2004 and denied removing references to O'Toole's accounts from the bank's Core Banking System or omitting his name from a 1995 list of non‑resident account holders. Patrick Peake, former fraud prevention officer, testified that he began an investigation after learning of account deletions in April 2010, and that the bank was required to file a suspicious transaction report. He presented records from 1986 onward, showing address changes for O'Toole's accounts and transactions linking them to FitzPatrick and an Isle of Man entity. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
A County Laois resident, Moldovan national Axenia Alexei, aged 30, was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term for fraudulently claiming €15,339 in unemployment benefits. Alexei entered Ireland in 2009, bought a false Latvian passport online, and used the resulting PPS number to work and later to claim Jobseeker's Allowance after losing her job. She pleaded guilty to stealing the benefits between July 2012 and March 2014 and to possessing the fake passport on 15 September 2014. She had no prior convictions. The court found she could have claimed over €7,000 using her real PPS number, and that she had worked part‑time in 2012 with her real number while also claiming benefits with the false number. The judge suspended the sentence for two years, ordered the return of €2,000 to the Department of Social Protection, and gave her an additional two years to repay €6,000.