Hurling star DJ Carey jailed over fake cancer claims

DJ Carey, a former Kilkenny hurler, has received a five-and-a-half year prison sentence.

The 54-year-old, who previously resided in County Kildare, admitted guilt on 10 counts of defrauding people of money by pretending to be cancer in July.

Carey is one of the most admired and renowned hurlers to have ever played the sport, having won five All-Ireland titles and three other All-Stars.

A judge argued before the court that there was no other fraud that could be more reproachable.

13 people, including one of Ireland’s wealthiest entrepreneurs Denis O’Brien, were among the 10 counts that Carey admitted guilt to.

O’Brien provided Carey with lodging and transportation and more than €125, 000 (£109, 500).

Carey allegedly defrauded 22 people, totaling almost €400,000 (£350,000), according to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

About €44, 000 (£38, 500) has been repaid.

Carey’s cousin, friends, coworkers, and those who knew him through his athletic career were just a few of the victims.

When garda (Irish police) conducted an investigation, there was no evidence that Carey ever had cancer or had received treatment abroad.

According to the court, Carey claimed to have requested funding for treatment and had told the majority of his victims in Seattle, US.

He claimed to have filed a negligence lawsuit against St. James’s Hospital in Dublin and that he was in some cases told that the Health Service Executive (HSE) would pay him.

A police sergeant claimed there was no evidence of Carey ever receiving treatment at the Seattle hospital, according to the prosecution.

His general practitioner had no evidence that he had ever had cancer.

He had not traveled to the US since 2015, and there was no record of any unresolved claims against the HSE or the hospital.

When DJ Carey’s charges were first brought against him, this image was widely shared on messaging platforms and social media.

The photo shows DJ Carey with an iPhone cable taped to his face.

The former hurler should have “fallen into a rut” due to financial difficulties caused by his business collapse, according to Carey’s defense lawyer.

The former hurler’s ability to repay his victims was not immediately known, according to the court.

However, his defense lawyer claimed that his lawyer had been instructed to “heartfelt, sincere” scuze each victim.

Carey was informed that she had a chronic heart condition.

He urged the court not to impose an excessive sentence and that prison is an enormous punishment.

The judge applauded the recipients of Carey’s money for responding to him in what he perceived as his time of need.