Chief executive accused of using firm’s money to house girlfriends settles High Court case

Ann O'Loughlin

A High Court employment dispute in which it was claimed that the founder of a company allegedly spent the firm's money providing homes and jobs for his girlfriends, who had allegedly been screened through illicit websites, has been settled.

Jennifer O'Carroll, chief operations officer of Limerick-based enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software group, HansaWorld, had sought orders lifting her suspension as director and company secretary and to stop alleged interference in her role as COO.

As part of her proceedings, Ms O'Carroll had made claims about the manner in which the group's CEO and majority shareholder, Karl Bohlin, had been running the business and what she considered was his "extravagant personal spending" using company funds.

She claimed that since Spring, Mr Bohlin had been allegedly primarily concerned with his love life and finding a girlfriend which he allegedly described as his "highest priority, she said.

She claimed Mr Bohlin allegedly used the company human resources "to screen the girls from various illicit websites for suitability".

Over recent months, she said, he has "insisted on hiring these ladies even if they are not suitable candidates" to positions in the company and insisted on using the firm's funds to lease houses for them, including one in China and another in Dubai.

The claims were denied.

The matter was adjourned a number of times after the defendants, HansaWorld Ireland Ltd, HansaWorld Holding Ltd and HansaWorld Inc Ltd, agreed to a number of undertakings including not to take steps to dismiss her.

On Tuesday, Gary McCarthy SC, for Ms O'Carroll said the case had been settled and he sought an adjournment to Friday for the agreement to be implemented. Mr Justice Brian Cregan agreed to do so with the undertakings to remain in place until then.