Ireland Case No. 22147Conspiracy to defraud · Co. Dublin · 1 Oct 2008
Hung jury in trial of former CHC financial manager Ciara Kelleher
The jury in the trial of Ciara Kelleher, 51, a former financial services manager at Custom House Capital, was discharged after failing to agree on a verdict in her conspiracy to defraud trial. The case was adjourned for a week and the prosecution has not yet indicated whether a retrial will be sought.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court28 Feb
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports25 statements extracted from the articles
- whatCiara Kelleher, 51, from Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7, denied a charge of conspiring with others to defraud investors, clients, and customers of Custom House Capital Ltd by intentionally misleading them as to where or how their assets had been placed. (rte.ie)
- whatCustom House Capital provided investment management and pension advisory services to approximately 2,000 clients. (rte.ie)
- whatThe scheme was put in place within CHC in 2008 and 2009 at the time of the financial crash, and around 80 accounts were affected. (rte.ie)
- whatThe prosecution said the scheme bore the hallmarks of a classic ponzi scheme. (rte.ie)
- whatCHC had agreed to buy investment properties but when values began to drop during the crash, money was taken from customer accounts without their knowledge. (rte.ie)
- whatMs Kelleher was aged between 37 and 39 at the time of the offences, had worked for Citibank for ten years, and had a degree in International Commerce and German. (rte.ie)
- whatCHC's CEO Harry Cassidy bought a large portfolio of investment properties in mainland Europe and started to pilfer money from customers to pay cash transfer demands. (rte.ie)
- whereCiara Kelleher is of Blackhorse Ave, Dublin 7 (rte.ie)
- whenThe offences are alleged to have happened between October 2008 and July 2011 (rte.ie)
- whenThe offences were alleged to have occurred between October 2008 and July 2011. (rte.ie)
- chargeShe pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring with others to defraud investors, clients, and customers of Custom House Capital by intentionally misleading them as to where or how their assets had been placed (rte.ie)
- chargeThe State's case is that Kelleher was part of a conspiracy to hide the true location of CHC client money by issuing incorrect valuations (rte.ie)
- courtJudge Orla Crowe sent the jurors home for the night after they deliberated all day on 28 February (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury had been deliberating since before lunchtime on Thursday 23 February (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury asked whether no evidence of a motive is a legitimate doubt (rte.ie)
- courtJudge Crowe stated there is a long established difference in law between motive and intention (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury was discharged after failing to agree on a verdict, having been given the option of returning a majority verdict. (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury had been deliberating since the previous Thursday after a four-week trial. (rte.ie)
- courtThe case was adjourned for a week and the prosecution has not yet indicated if a retrial will be sought. (rte.ie)
- courtJudge Crowe thanked the jury for the care and attention they had given to a 'long and complicated case'. (rte.ie)
- otherMs Kelleher denies any wrongdoing (rte.ie)
- otherIt was accepted that Ms Kelleher was a salaried employee of CHC, not a shareholder. (rte.ie)
- otherMs Kelleher told gardaí that she thought everything was 'as good as gold' in CHC between 2008 and 2011. (rte.ie)
- otherHigh Court inspectors concluded in 2011 that €56m in investor assets, including cash and liquid equity holdings, were improperly transferred to syndicated property interests or used to finance other aspects of CHC's business. (rte.ie)
- otherCHC was liquidated in 2011. (rte.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Mar2023Hung jury in trial of former CHC financial manager
Jury discharged after failing to agree on a verdict following a four-week trial; case adjourned for a week; prosecution has not indicated if a retrial will be sought.
accused, Ciara Kelleher, 51, female, named, irish (judged from name)Ciara Kelleher - 28 Feb2023Deliberations continue in trial of ex-financial manager
Reports on the jury's ongoing deliberations, their question about whether lack of evidence of motive is a legitimate doubt, and Judge Crowe's explanation of the legal distinction between motive and intention.
accused, Ciara Kelleher, 51, female, named, irish (judged from name)Ciara Kelleher