Ireland Crime

Named as

Suspect

Offences

Social welfare fraud (theft and larceny)

Where

Co. Laois

Reporting

1 report, 17 Jan 2025 to 17 Jan 2025

Outlets

leinsterexpress.ie

• Laois woman sentenced for 28-year pension fraud at Portlaoise Social welfare fraud (theft and larceny) · Co. Laois

  Margaret Bergin, 73, a woman from Mountrath, Co Laois, was sentenced on 1 November 2024 at Portlaoise Circuit Court to five years and six months' imprisonment, with the final three years and six months suspended, after pleading guilty to 15 sample charges of theft and larceny. She had claimed the State pension of her father-in-law John Jack Bergin, who died in November 1993 aged 82, for over 28 years, totalling €271,046.28, by forging his signature on annual declarations. The fraud was uncovered in 2022 when an amateur gerontologist researched a supposed 110-year-old man in Laois, and welfare officers found her husband Seamus Bergin posing as the deceased during a home visit. Bergin was arrested in September 2022 and had repaid €75,000 before sentencing.

  Sentenced, 1 Nov 2024Suspect · 1 report

Each entry shows how that report described them.

1. 17 Jan2025
   Otherleinsterexpress.ie, in Laois woman sentenced for 28-year pension fraud at Portlaoise

   Laois Gardaí to return silver coins issued on behalf of President Michael D Higgins

   suspect, Seamus Bergin, male, named, irish (judged from name)Seamus Bergin♂IE

Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.