DJ Carey has been sentenced to prison for defrauding nearly €400,000 from his acquaintances, relatives, and supporters under false pretenses of needing cancer treatment he never required.
The ex-Hurling champion had initially avoided sentencing by providing a medical excuse but later appeared in the Criminal Court of Justice in Dublin today where he received a five-and-a-half-year jail term. Carey, residing in Maynooth, Co Kildare, admitted to deceiving individuals into giving him money by falsely claiming to be battling cancer and in need of financial aid.
Judge Martin Nolan condemned Carey for taking advantage of the trust of people who knew him, labeling his actions as “reprehensible” and a serious offense. The 10 charges Carey pleaded guilty to involved 13 victims, including prominent figures like Denis O’Brien, Owen and Ann Conway, Mark and Sharon Kelly, Aidan Mulligan, Tony Griffin, Christy Browne, Thomas Butler, Jeffrey Howes, Noel Tynan, and Edwin Carey.
Despite expressing doubt about Carey’s likelihood of reoffending, Judge Nolan remarked that the former athlete’s reputation had been irreparably damaged. Known for his successful GAA career with Kilkenny, Carey, aged 52, was once celebrated as one of the most accomplished hurlers in the sport’s history.
Appearing in court today in a purple jacket, navy shirt, and black shoes, Carey was instructed to rise by Judge Martin Nolan before being sentenced to a five-and-a-half-year prison term.