€250k fraudster had a wife, two partners and a girlfriend

A man who was married with three children; was engaged separately to two other partners; and had a girlfriend in Poland with another child was in prison last night after admitting fraud.

Conor Brannigan, aged 41, from Stafford Hall, Silver St, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, admitted defrauding his potential brother-in-law of €250,000 in a land deal. He pleaded guilty to three separate charges of defrauding James Hoare, a vet from Rooskey, Co Roscommon. The offences were committed in 2010 and 2011.

Detective Garda David McDonnell told Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court that Brannigan met Mr Hoare through the vet’s sister, who was his girlfriend. Brannigan told Mr Hoare he was an accountant used to acting in land deals and later stated he was a forensic accountant acting for a London- based venture capital company dealing in distressed properties.

In August 2010, Mr Hoare engaged him to buy a substantial plot of land in Roscommon and sums of €6,000, €25,000, and €219,000 (totalling €250,000) were transferred to a bank account controlled by Brannigan to facilitate the purchase.

Mr Hoare, who was working in Britain while his family were at home in Rooskey, got a bank loan of €219,000 to fund the purchase. In late 2010, Mr Hoare was told Brannigan was in hospital in Galway and that he had not completed the deal. In 2011, Brannigan became engaged to Mr Hoare’s sister.

Mr Hoare made his own enquiries and discovered a number of outstanding judgments against Brannigan. He emailed Brannigan asking for his money back, and his sister then told him that he had “come clean” to her and the money was gone. His sister was very upset. He received an email from Brannigan admitting “a very deep breach of trust” and confirming he was in deep financial trouble. Garda McDonnell confirmed that Mr Hoare was out of pocket for the full €250,000.

In a statement to gardaí, Brannigan said: “I can’t explain it. I was living four separate lives. I was married with three children; had two partners and was engaged to them; and a girlfriend and child in Poland.”

Brannigan was admitted to a psychiatric unit in Ennis, Co Clare, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Judge Tony Hunt said the amounts involved were so large that there was no prospect of them being repaid and a custodial sentence was required.

Judge Hunt sentenced him to two years in prison, but suspended the last 12 months.