Northern Ireland businessman gave GAA conman DJ Carey €70,000
A businessman from the north is believed to have been swindled out of up to €70,000 by disgraced hurling star DJ Carey, the author of a new book about the conman has said.The Kilkenny man was jailed for five and a half years last month after pleading guilty to 10 charges related to defrauding people out of money while pretending to have cancer.A five-time All-Ireland winner and multiple All Star, Carey was regarded as one of the best hurling players of all time.Among those who complained about the scammer was Denis O’Brien, one of Ireland’s most successful businessmen, who gave Carey more than €125,000 and provided him with accommodation and transport.‘The Dodger: DJ Carey and the Great Betrayal’ by Eimear Ní Bhraonáin and published by Merrion Press is available to buy now. A Dublin court heard Carey defrauded 22 people out of almost €400,000 (£350,000), of which around €44,000 (£38,500) has been repaid.However, it is believed the true figure may be much higher.The author of a new book about the fraudster, ‘The Dodger: DJ Carey and the Great Betrayal’ has now said several northern-based businessmen were also conned out of cash.Journalist Eimear Ní Bhraonáin spent three years working on the acclaimed book, which examines the full extent of Carey’s conduct.Drawing on more than 100 interviews and access to victims, Ms Ní Bhraonáin charts Carey’s life of deception.Speaking to the Irish News, Ms Ní Bhraonáin said Carey, who at one stage worked for a Co Armagh based firm, had several victims in the north, including one who handed over €70,000.Two other businessmen are thought to have parted with at least €10,000 each.“Some of them are in the north, I know this, at least three men in the north of Ireland and I think there’s a lot more,” she said.“And I’d really appeal if there are that they would contact me.“They are all businessmen and they gave him over €10,000 each and some of them gave him tens of thousands of euro.“One of them, I was told, gave him over €70,000.”Eimear Ní Bhraonáin The author said many of those who were sucked in by Carey don’t want to be identified.It is known that Carey spent a lot of time in the north and was often a regular guest at GAA events.“He had a lot of friends from hurling and handball that he played with over the years,” Ms Ní Bhraonáin said.“From all the different clubs in the north, he had great connections.“He still has those, he still has people who will defend him in the north, friends and that.”Ms Ní Bhraonáin believes some people are reluctant to acknowledge their relationship with Carey.“I do think some people in the north of Ireland were very cautious about revealing how much they gave to him,” she said.“In the south, it seems for instance, men mightn’t want their wives to know, there’s a bit of that in the north as well.“Based on the information I have, I believe some people in the north, it was difficult for them, because they gave him cash, they might have to explain where the cash came from.”She believes Carey would also have had relationships with women north of the border.“I believe so because he travelled around Ireland, there were people he was interacting with all the time,” she said.The author said that while the majority of woman in the north declined to speak about Carey, in general, women are more open to talking about him.“Women are less nervous to talk about it, some women saw through it quicker in some ways,” she said.“They were telling the husbands to stay away from that fella, ‘don’t give him money’.“It was more humiliating maybe for men because they were very loyal to him, they were loyal to him for a long time, and maybe they didn’t want to admit that they had given him money.“Sometimes they didn’t tell their spouses they gave him money.”Carey’s story recently featured in two-part RTE documentary made by Belfast based Fine Point Films.‘The Dodger: DJ Carey and the Great Betrayal’ by Eimear Ní Bhraonáin and published by Merrion Press is available to buy now.
