Ireland Case No. 4772Social welfare fraud (theft and larceny) · Co. Laois
Margaret Bergin jailed over €271,000 pension fraud in Laois
Margaret Bergin, 73, of Mountrath, Co Laois, was jailed at Portlaoise Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 15 charges over falsely claiming her dead father-in-law's pension for more than 28 years. Judge Keenan Johnson imposed a five-and-a-half-year sentence with the final three and a half years suspended.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced1 Nov
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports23 statements extracted from the articles
- whatShe stole more than €270,000 from the State. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe forged her late father-in-law's signature each year so the pension continued to be paid. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMargaret Bergin was jailed after admitting she falsely claimed her dead father-in-law's pension for more than 28 years. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatBergin claimed €271,046.28 from December 1993 to February 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe grandmother lives in Co Laois. (irishtimes.com)
- whereBergin has an address at Fairfield House in Mountrath, Co Laois. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenHer father-in-law died in 1993. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationShe was caught in 2022 when an amateur gerontologist researched a supposed 110-year-old man living in Mountrath. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSocial welfare officials visited her home in April 2022 and found her husband impersonating his late father. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe fraud investigation started after an amateur gerontologist contacted Áras an Uachtaráin in March 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationDepartment of Social Protection officials uncovered the fraud after visiting Bergin's home in Mountrath. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested Bergin in September 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationBergin admitted her husband Séamus was the man in the bed when officials called to the house. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeShe pleaded guilty to theft and larceny charges. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeBergin pleaded guilty to 15 charges in relation to the scam. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeBergin pleaded guilty to 10 counts of theft and five of larceny. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtBergin paid €35,000 in compensation in June. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe judge found the mitigating factors included Bergin's guilty plea and her cooperation in the later stages of the investigation. (dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to five years and six months' imprisonment, with the last three years and six months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceBergin was sentenced to five and a half years with the final three and a half years suspended. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe judge said the non-recording of the death showed premeditation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe family handed over €75,000, which left a shortfall of €191,000. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBergin is expected to serve her two-year sentence in the Dochas women's prison in Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 2 Nov2024Gran jailed for pension scam locked up with Ireland's most dangerous prisoners
First report on the sentencing of Margaret Bergin; adds the prison placement, the investigation details, the compensation paid and the judge's remarks.
convicted, Margaret Bergin, 73, female, named, irish (judged from name)Margaret Bergin - 1 Nov2024Co Laois grandmother who drew down €270,000 of father-in-law’s pension for more than 28 years after his death jailed
Article covers the sentencing and the judge's remarks. The headline says she was 'jailed for two years', but the body text gives a sentence of five years and six months with three years and six months suspended. The offences ran from 1993 until she was caught in 2022, so no single incident date is given.
convicted, Margaret Bergin, 73, female, named, irish (judged from name)Margaret Bergin