DJ Carey, a former professional hurler in Ireland, admitted to defrauding people out of money by falsely claiming to have cancer, international media reported last week. He is now awaiting sentencing for the 10 charges he pleaded guilty to.
The 54-year-old was one of Ireland’s most accomplished hurlers, winning the All-Ireland five times and All-Star multiple times, according to BBC News.
Despite his acclaim, Carey admitted to having faked having cancer and solicited money for cancer treatments. A defense lawyer told the court that Carey "does have very genuine health conditions" and needs heart surgery.
While much of Irish healthcare is free to those with a medical card, some treatments do come at a fee. It is unclear what procedure Carey allegedly needs and whether Ireland’s national healthcare would cover that procedure.
Among the 28 witnesses expected to testify at Ireland's Circuit Court is complainant Denis O'Brien, one of Ireland’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. O’Brien is understood to be one of 13 complainants.
DJ Carey's alleged history of fraud and cancer claims
This is allegedly not the first time that Carey has defrauded people, according to his ex-partner Sarah Newman.
Newman told the Irish Independent that Ireland’s police, the Gardaí, failed to respond to her 2012 complaint that Carey had defrauded people with claims of an incurable brain cancer.
Carey had allegedly promised to buy a Range Rover from a wealthy businessman, but claimed that he had an incurable brain tumor and was in America for treatment when his cheques bounced.
After Newman and Carey split, she alleged she learned that Carey had been spreading rumors that he had to have his spleen removed.
“I am very relieved that the victims of DJ’s crimes will not have to be put through the trauma of giving evidence in what was expected to be a long and drawn-out trial,” Newman said following Carey’s guilty plea. However, she added, “Carey could have saved an awful lot of taxpayers’ money by pleading guilty a long time ago.”