Gambling addict used fake documents to borrow €19k from Credit Union, court hears

By Declan Brennan

A gambling addict used fake documents to borrow thousands from a Credit Union, which he then gambled away, a court has heard.

Karl Keogh (38) used a fake Virgin Media utility bill, fake pay slips, and a fake Irish driving licence to open an account and borrow €19,000 from the Ballygall credit union in Ballymun, Dublin city centre.

The crimes came to light when the account moved into arrears and no repayments had been made on the loans.

Keogh of Marewood Crescent, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to stealing €19,000 from the Ballygall Credit Union, Ballymun on April 4th, 2021. He also pleaded guilty to using a false instrument contrary to Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001 on April 8th, 2021.

Pieter Le Vert, defending, said his client had a terrible gambling problem and had built up a debt. He said when he got the money from the credit union he “chased the loss” by gambling the money and ended up with nothing.

He told the court that the documentation wasn't very well done. He used a fake Virgin Media bill to open the account and another fake Virgin Media bill, with a different address but the same figures on it, for the loan application.

Judge Martin Nolan that this was a serious matter and imposed a prison term of 20 months.