€7.9m 'fraud' alleged against well known estate agent Michael O'Leary
A Davidstown businessman had well known
estate agent/accountant Michael O'Leary in his legal sights last week
with a €7.9 million court claim.
Among the complaints tabled before the court was an allegation that his signature had been forged on documents.
This was contained in the affidavit detailing his case, which was read into the record of the court last week.
He is suing Michael O'Leary, his wife Dolores O'Leary and Justin McConville, together practising as Michael O'Leary & Co, tax and management consultants, with offices in Wexford, Enniscorthy and New Ross.
Also named in the proceedings, which have been referred on to the Commercial Court, are the O'Learys' son Andrew, of Ballintemple in Cork, their daughter Sinéad and her husband Thomas Bolger, both of Killurin.
Companies called Sapol Electical and Archdale Construction are listed too among the defendants in the action.
The plaintiff informed Mister Justice Brian McGovern that he only become aware of the alleged fraud when he received a bill from NAMA for €2.6 million.
He indicated he now believes that the problems which prompted him to go to court may date back as far as 1980.
Among the businesses involved was a 153 house estate at Monvoy in Waterford described by Patrick Wheelock as highly profitable.
He complained that he had received very little response from the defendants to his allegations.
However, the judge was informed that legal papers had been served on all the named individuals, except Andrew O'Leary, whom Wheelock believed may be resident in Spain.
Michael O'Leary, who was not present in court, is well known for his work raising money for Rehab and was a leading campaigner in the past for sporting facilities in Enniscorthy.
In his submission to the court, piping engineer Wheelock stated that he never gave O'Leary the power of attorney which would have allowed him to sign documents on behalf of the plaintiff.
He also complained that an account had been set up in his name at the Ulster Bank without his knowledge.
He alleged that a sum of more than €89,000 was then withdrawn from the account, to be used to meet restaurant, supermarket and hotel bills in Wexford and Dublin - in which he had no involvement.
He blamed the alleged fraud for the fact that he was included on a list of tax defaulters published by the Revenue Commissioners last year.
No comments:
Post a Comment