Catherine the Fake: O'Brien wrote to Polish horse buyers claiming animal was stolen
Catherine O'Brien is wanted for questioning by gardaí investigating allegations of fraud in the sale of horses in the past three to four years. Picture credit: The Irish Mail on Sunday
The Polish owners of a horse purchased in Ireland a year ago have received correspondence from wanted woman Catherine O’Brien alleging that the animal was stolen.
The stallion was one of a number of horses linked to a horse investment scheme which is currently being investigated by gardaí as part of a live probe into the activities of the Buttevant woman.
Sources in the horse racing industry in Ireland and Poland say, however, that the sale of the horse last year was legitimate.
A spokesperson for the new owners said: “We have carried out all our activities in accordance with the law." She added that correspondence had been received from Ms O’Brien almost six months ago in relation to the horse.
She concluded: “We have nothing to hide, but it's been a year since we bought the horse and this case continues to cause us problems."
Today, the continues its investigation into Ms O’Brien, who has issued judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions following her conviction, in her absence, in June 2021 on 34 counts of animal welfare legislation breaches relating to horses seized in Co Wexford. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest following her conviction.
The judicial review case was up for mention at the High Court last Tuesday and was adjourned. It will be up for mention again on November 29.
Ms O’Brien, who has an address in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, is wanted for questioning by gardaí investigating allegations of fraud in the sale of horses in the past three to four years.
She has not lived at her Dungarvan address for several months.
The complaints under investigation relate to horse investment schemes through a website set up to target people interested in thoroughbred horses. Another relates to a scheme involving investment related to a property which was for sale in France, also related to horses.
The website, which no longer exists, carried a list of services including racehorse purchase and management, and investment opportunities. The blurb regarding investment opportunities read that private clients were being provided with “the opportunity to acquire permanent residency in Ireland through the Government-backed ‘Immigrant Investor Programme’.”
The blurb added: “We currently have a small number of opportunities for our clients to invest in Ireland, gaining residency in return.”
The website also offered select “equine consignment for private clients to ensure that each horse will be well presented at sales, looking and feeling its best”.
The website gave an address in Merrion Square as the “global offices” of the company. A phone number on the website no longer belongs to Catherine O’Brien, but is one of the numbers she was known to use in the past.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
