Irish solicitor ‘made false claims to attract investor’

A SOLICITOR attempted to introduce investments into a billion dollar oil-drilling scheme by falsely claiming $10 million was being held by his employers, a disciplinary tribunal heard yesterday.

Philip Merrills-Dearn, aged 35, of Kilcock, Co Kildare, formed a company for carrying out the work but used his solicitor employers’ offices and headed notepaper to add credibility, it was claimed.

“It was not a minor deal, it was big money with big money players,” said Mr Jon Goodwin, for the Law Society.