DJ Carey.RollingNews
Former hurling great Denis 'DJ' Carey has admitted to running a prolonged fraud scheme in which he falsely claimed he had cancer to elicit donations for medical treatment.
The 54‑year‑old pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Wednesday, July 2, to 10 counts of dishonestly inducing people to pay him money after he fraudulently claimed to have cancer and needed finances for treatment.
According to RTE News, the court heard that one count of dishonestly inducing a person to pay him money was being struck out, while the remainder of the indictment would be taken into consideration by the sentencing judge.
Carey faced a total indictment of 21 charges - 10 deception counts and two false instrument charges, with one count struck out and the others to be considered at sentencing.
The court heard of concurrent genuine health concerns, including a heart condition requiring surgery, and ongoing mental health difficulties, the Irish Times reports.
Among those defrauded are businessman Denis O’Brien, Owen and Ann Conway, Mark and Sharon Kelly, Aidan Mulligan, Tony Griffin and Christy Browne, Thomas Butler, Jeffrey Howes, Noel Tynan and Edwin Carey. The scheme spanned approximately from 2014 to 2022 and involved ten victims across Ireland.
He remains on bail and is due back for sentencing on October 29, 2025, in front of Judge Patricia Ryan. Medical and psychiatric reports will be submitted ahead of sentencing, according to Letterkenny Live.
Carey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers of his generation. A native of Kilkenny, he played senior inter‑county hurling from 1988 to 2005, making 138 National League and Championship appearances.
Following his inter‑county retirement in June 2006, Carey continued to influence the sport as club coach, under-20 manager for Kilkenny, and as a selector for the county’s senior team.