A teacher who faked two pregnancies and wore a “fake bump” to school in a fraud that cost the State almost €60,000 has received a suspended sentence for what a judge called “an extraordinary case” after spending the last four months in custody.
Eimear Carroll, aged 43, of Hillside, Seffin, Birr, Co Offaly, had pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming maternity-related payments from the Department of Education and the Department of Social Protection for two pregnancies which never occurred as well as creating false documents.
At a sitting of Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Keenan Johnson sentenced Carroll to five years in prison but suspended the term after taking into account that she had chosen to remain in custody in relation to the charges since 1 February this year.
While describing it as quite an extraordinary case, Judge Johnson remarked that it was “a fraud that would…
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Investment fraud targets the human desire for financial growth by promising high returns with “low to no risk.”
- Ponzi Schemes: Named after Charles Ponzi, these schemes pay “returns” to earlier investors using the capital brought in by newer investors. There is no actual underlying business; the system collapses when new recruitment slows down.
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- Pump and Dump: Fraudsters spread false, positive rumors about a cheap stock (the “pump”) to drive up the price. Once the price peaks, they sell their shares (the “dump”), leaving other investors with worthless stock.