Gardaí arrest former GAA star at centre of alleged fraud scandal

It is understood the man was arrested this afternoon.

A garda spokesperson confirmed that an individual was arrested under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offences Act and can be held for questioning for up to 24 hours.

"Gardaí in the eastern region have arrested a male in relation to an ongoing investigation into an alleged fraud,” the spokesperson said.

"An Garda Síochána does not comment on named persons.”

It is alleged the former inter-county star made a number of approaches to businesspeople, supporters and sporting organisations seeking financial assistance to travel abroad for stem cell treatment.

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) is looking to determine whether he was in fact diagnosed with cancer and for what he used the money he received – estimated to be around €1m.

He has experienced financial difficulties in recent years and a number of debt judgments were secured against him, including one by the Revenue Commissioners for a five-figure sum.

Gardaí are continuing to take statements from people who allegedly gave money to the man under what they fear now were false pretences.

Sources revealed how he approached prominent members of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), which represents inter-county players, for financial help.

It is understood he also sought contact numbers for members of the GPA so he could get in touch with them about donations.

The GPA has a benevolent fund to support current and past players who are experiencing financial difficulties. However, it is not clear whether he received money directly from this fund, or received any money at all.

The GPA declined to comment when contacted.

The man has claimed to numerous individuals in the past two years that he was diagnosed with cancer.

However, there were rumours about his health as far back as six years ago.

In 2017, a reporter with this newspaper contacted him about an alleged diagnosis and he replied to say: “It’s a matter that I want and need to keep private and don’t wish to have out in public.”

He was recently hospitalised in the wake of the allegations.