Gambling Addict Cons 'Angels'

Gambling addict conned 'angel' couple out of €27k
Declan Brennan– 09 April 2013

A GAMBLING addict conned more than €27,500 from a couple by convincing them that racehorse owner JP McManus would finance their angel business.

Andrew Duff told the couple that he was a high-profile business man with "serious connections" to JP McManus, Denis O'Brien and the directors of Setanta.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Lorraine Coffey and Eugene O'Connor wanted help in expanding their business Lorries Angels, which sells spiritual items around the idea of angels from a shop in France where they live.

Duff (46), of Kilpatrick, Kyle, Co Wexford, pleaded guilty to theft from the couple at AIB, Dun Laoghaire on February 16, 2011.

Garda Donal O'Sullivan told Tara Burns, prosecuting, that the couple had planned to run the company on a not-for-profit basis and agreed to take Duff on as an unpaid financial adviser for a year.

Gda O'Sullivan said they had 100pc trust in Duff who told them he hoped to get JP McManus involved. He said he drew up a business plan and sent it to Mr McManus.

He claimed to have set up a meeting between the couple and the millionaire but at the last minute showed them an email purporting to be from Mr McManus in which he cancelled the meeting.

Bookmakers

The court heard that Mr McManus later told gardai he didn't know the accused and had not sent the email.

At one stage Duff told the couple they would have to transfer €25,000 in funds to his account, which they did in February 2011.

He told them they had to register an employee in Ireland. He later billed them for €2,593 which he said had to be paid in employer's contribution taxes.

When this employee looked for his P45 from the Revenue Commissioners, it emerged that Duff had not paid these taxes and gardai were called in.

Duff was being treated for gambling addiction when gardai arrested him.

He told them he was unable to distinguish truth from lies and so he couldn't actually say what he had done.

Gardai found that the €25,000 had been gradually spent over 34 transactions with Paddy Power bookmakers' online betting site.

The court heard that the father of three has no previous convictions. He previously had a long and successful business career but this is now in ruins because of his crime.

Orla Crowe, defending, said her client felt remorse and shame over his actions and wanted to apologise. She said he had brought €1,080 to court.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring said she was concerned that the Revenue Commissioners may still seek money from the victims in relation to their unpaid taxes and wanted to clarify this. She adjourned sentencing until June next.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/gambling-addict-conned-angel-couple-out-of-27k-29182718.html