An elderly and vulnerable South Dublin couple had more than €150,000 unlawfully taken from their bank account by a woman they hired to be their carer, the High Court has heard.
In what was described as "a bizarre case" involving an alleged "breach of trust" Laetitia and her husband Enda O'Regan secured a temporary High Court freezing order preventing Angela Manning from dissipating her asses below a value of €150,000.
The court heard that Mrs Manning confessed to taking the couple's money, which she claims she converted to cryptocurrency.
She then sent the money to an American solider she met on social media, who needed money to help pay for his daughter's medical care.
The freezing order was sought over fears that Mrs Manning may seek to dissipate assets beyond the reach of the plaintiffs.
Without explanation
Brian Murray Bl for the O'Regans told the court that without any explanation significant sums of the couple's money also appears to have been spent by Mrs Manning on her home at Kingston Walk, Ballinteer, Co Dublin, as well as at a toy store, on electrical goods, in supermarkets and at various pharmacies.
A complaint has been made to the Gardai, counsel said.
The couple, from the Laurels, Terenure in Dublin 6W, do not know what she has done with all of their cash, and are concerned as they require funds for their care.
At the High Court on Friday Mr Justice Mark Sanfey made orders including a temporary injunction, known as a Mareva order, freezing Mrs Manning's assets.
The order, which was granted on an ex-parte basis, prevents her from lowering her assets below a value of €150,000.
Right to be heard
The judge said while Ms Manning has a right to be heard on the allegations, he was satisfied from the nature of the serious claims made before the court to grant the freezing order.
The injunction, he said, is to remain in place pending further order from the court.
The Judge also granted the parties liberty to return to court should any issue arise.
Seeking the freezing order Mr Murray this was "a bizarre case" which involved a "deplorable breach of trust."
Mrs Manning had initially been hired through an agency to care for Mr O'Regan, and the couple had a good relationship with her.
The O'Regans decided to hire her directly after Mrs Manning said she was leaving the agency.
Mrs Manning was hired by his clients in early 2020.
The couple are aged in their late seventies and have significant health problems, counsel said.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 counsel said they cocooned.
Debit card
Counsel said that the O'Regans gave Mrs Manning, who was paid between €350 and €300 a week, their debit card to buy items including groceries for them.
She was also to take her wages from the account.
They were very reliant on her during the pandemic.
The O'Regans had over €150,000 in their account in early 2020 when Mrs Manning commenced working for them.
Counsel said that Mrs Manning used the debit card to make large cash withdrawals from the account on a regular basis over an 85-week period.
Monies were also withdrawn during weeks when neither of the O'Regans required any purchases to be made on their behalf, counsel said.
When the couple, who were totally oblivious to what was happening with the monies, discovered what was happening in mid-2021 their account had been reduced to a balance of just €7.33, counsel said.
Missing funds
When confronted about the missing funds, Mrs Manning said she had "met a US soldier on Facebook," who she said she "might be in love with," who "had a young daughter with cancer."
This man needed money so he could access funds from his pension to pay for his child's medical bills.
She was vague on the amount of money she sent and said that after this soldier was deployed to Afghanistan another individual continued communicating with her, claiming more monies were required.
Mrs Manning told Mrs O'Regan she was using the funds to buy cryptocurrency to those she was interacting with on Facebook.
Describing Mrs Manning's explanations as bizarre, counsel said that his client told her that she was being scammed.
However, Mrs Manning, asked Mrs O'Regan not to tell anyone as the second man had promised her USD$350,000, in return for sending the monies.
That sum of money Mrs Manning said was being transferred from the UN Secretary General to Garda Commissioner's Office.
Following Mrs Manning's admission Mrs O'Regan made a complaint to the gardaí.
Deeds of house
Late last month certain undertakings were sought from Mrs Manning, including that she would not to dissipate her assets below €150,000 and that she would confirm the location of the title deeds of the house she jointly owns with her husband.
However, no response was made to their request, resulting in the O'Regans seeking the freezing orders from the court, the court heard.
The court heard that Mrs Manning's husband, who had offered to repay "every cent" of the monies taken did make contact with the O'Regan's solicitor.
Her husband, who was initially unaware of the total amount allegedly taken from the O'Regans, offered to repay €40,000 to the couple.
Mr Andrew Manning told the solicitor that his wife had converted some €57,000 of his monies into Bitcoin, adding that he may have to remortgage their home to repay the full amount allegedly owed.
However, contact ceased between the solicitor and Mr Manning after he said he had been advised that due to an ongoing Garda investigation not to speak with the O'Regan's lawyers.
