CLASH OF CASH 

GAA ace bagged €1M over 8 years with alleged cruel cancer scam hitting at least 100 victims – including prominent names

• Published: 19:30, 12 Feb 2023
• Updated: 19:31, 12 Feb 2023

UP to 100 people are believed to have been hit for cash over a period of eight years by a GAA legend’s alleged cruel cancer scam, we can reveal.

Many of those scammed were prominent names within the Gaelic football and hurling world.

The legend – who may have allegedly accrued up to one million euro in the fraud – was still making begging phone calls up until four weeks ago even though Gardai had begun a probe into the scandal.

The star claimed he was suffering from cancer.

One businessman who gave him a new car thought he was in the US having treatment but discovered from one of the player’s friends he was actually holidaying in the Tropics.

It is understood the cancer story had been going on for up to eight years.

We have learned he telephoned one well known former county player and asked him for €15,000 to help pay for so-called cancer treatment he was having in America.

The businessman took the car off him on his return.

The sports star even named the hospital where he was supposed to have treatment.

GARDA SEARCH

It is understood the sports star even approached his own county board and told them he was very sick with cancer and needed cash.

But they turned him down after making discreet enquiries.

It’s understood a list of people are co-operating with a Garda fraud inquiry into allegations of deception.

It was reported that detectives carried out a search of a room at a hotel in the midlands where the suspect was staying last December. A mobile phone and documents were seized.

A Garda source said: “We will go through every complaint until we get to the bottom of this.