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A married couple, former lawyers, have been jailed for defrauding several banks and credit unions out of almost 400,000 euros.
Keith Flynn, 46, and Lyndsey Clarke, 37, of Blarney Street in Cork City, created more than 60 false identities, disguised themselves and paid homeless people by PPS numbers to carry out the fraud.
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced Flynn to four years in prison based on his guilty plea and cooperation.
He sentenced Clarke to two years in prison due to a difference in her circumstances.
The couple appeared in Cork Circuit Criminal Court today for sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud at an earlier hearing last October.
A garda investigation followed into the theft of funds totaling 394,804 euros from various banks and financial institutions over a period of 18 months.
Judge Ó Donnabháin described the fraud as an elaborate scheme and for criminal purposes.
“It was thought in detail and both defendants were completely guilty,” he said.
It recognized that the level of organization was such that the cooperation provided by the accused was significant.
Had a trial taken place, Clarke would have faced 388 charges and Flynn would have faced 389 charges.
The judge also ordered that 100,685 euros found in a safe belonging to the two be returned to financial institutions pro rata after the Bank of Ireland receives 27,671 euros.
He said the Bank of Ireland deserved to receive more because it was the one who found the fraud.
“Without their attention to detail, it is unknown how long this scheme would have lasted, given that there was some drowsiness from other institutions,” the judge said.
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