Ireland Polish man avoids jail for defrauding state of over €25k in social welfare
Tomasz Pysz, a Polish man, pleaded guilty at the Circuit Criminal Court to theft of social welfare payments and to fraudulently obtaining disability benefit. The payments included €16,303 in COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments received between 21 April and 1 September 2022, and €9,235.50 in disability payments between 2019 and 2021, a total of €25,538 from the Department. An official at the GPO found he had two PPSN numbers, and he used a bank account in his brother-in-law's name. Pysz was sentenced to 20 months in jail, suspended on condition of good behaviour, and must pay €10,917 from a frozen account to the Department of Social Welfare, with a payment plan arranged for the remaining balance, as reported on 7 April 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced7 Apr
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Tomasz Pysz, a Polish man, fraudulently obtained over €25,000 in social welfare payments.
- The total defrauded from the Department was €25,538.
- Pysz received €9,235.50 in disability payments between 2019 and 2021.
- Cause
- Pandemic payments totalling €16,303 were received, much of it as COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments.
- When
- The pandemic payments were received between 21 April and 1 September 2022.
- Investigation
- An official at the GPO found Pysz had two PPSN numbers.
- Pysz used a bank account in his brother-in-law's name.
- Charges
- Pysz pleaded guilty to numerous counts of theft of the monies.
- Pysz also pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining disability benefit.
- In court
- Pysz appeared before the Circuit Criminal Court.
- Sentence
- Pysz was sentenced to 20 months in jail, suspended on condition of good behaviour.
- Pysz must pay €10,917 from a frozen account to the Department of Social Welfare.
- Other details
- Pysz still owes €21,814 and a payment plan has been arranged.
- Pysz has no previous conviction.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man fraudulently obtained over €25,000 in social welfare payments. (gript.ie)
- whatThe man is a Polish man named Tomasz Pysz. (gript.ie)
- whatThe pandemic payments totalled €16,303. (gript.ie)
- whatPysz received disability payments of €9,235.50 between 2019 and 2021. (gript.ie)
- whatThe total defrauded from the Department was €25,538. (gript.ie)
- whenThe pandemic payments were received between 21 April and 1 September 2022. (gript.ie)
- causeMuch of the money was received as COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments. (gript.ie)
- investigationAn official at the GPO found Pysz had two PPSN numbers. (gript.ie)
- investigationPysz used a bank account in his brother-in-law's name. (gript.ie)
- chargePysz pleaded guilty to numerous counts of theft of the monies. (gript.ie)
- chargePysz also pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining disability benefit. (gript.ie)
- courtThe man appeared before the Circuit Criminal Court. (gript.ie)
- sentencePysz was sentenced to 20 months in jail, suspended on condition of good behaviour. (gript.ie)
- sentencePysz must pay €10,917 from a frozen account to the Department of Social Welfare. (gript.ie)
- otherPysz still owes €21,814 and a payment plan has been arranged. (gript.ie)
- otherPysz has no previous conviction. (gript.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Apr2025Man who defrauded state of over €25k in social welfare avoids jail - Gript
Reports the sentencing of Tomasz Pysz at the Circuit Criminal Court: a 20-month sentence suspended on condition of good behaviour, with €10,917 from a frozen account to be paid to the Department. No existing case in the list matches.
convicted, Tomasz Pysz, male, Polish, named, non-irishTomasz Pysz