DJ Carey Repays GAA Stars €15,000 After Scam Threats

Disgraced former hurling star DJ Carey has repaid €15,000 to two Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) players after they threatened to expose him for taking the money under false pretenses. The repayment comes after a long-standing scam in which Carey falsely claimed he needed funds for urgent cancer treatment.

Several years ago, Carey approached the two athletes—a footballer and a hurler—after a charity golf event, seeking financial assistance for what he described as life-saving stem cell treatment in the United States. Despite skepticism from others, the two players, who are well-known within the GAA community, decided to lend him the money, believing they were helping a fellow athlete in need.

However, as rumors began circulating about the legitimacy of Carey’s claims, the players felt compelled to confront him. According to a source close to the situation, they tracked him down and demanded repayment, warning that they would go public with the story if he did not comply. The pressure was significant, with threats to involve law enforcement if Carey failed to return the funds promptly.

The source stated, “They went and tracked him down and demanded their cash within weeks or otherwise they were going to go public and expose him. They also threatened to tell the Gardai that he was taking money under false pretenses.” Under this intense pressure, Carey managed to repay the €15,000, likely sourcing the funds from other unsuspecting victims.

This incident is just one facet of Carey’s extensive fraudulent activities. Earlier this week, he was sentenced to five and a half years in Mountjoy Prison for defrauding multiple victims out of €400,000 through his cancer scam. Friends of Carey revealed that he had been running this scheme for at least 13 years before authorities apprehended him in 2023.

Carey’s sentencing highlights the severity of his actions and the impact on his victims. Many individuals who lent him money reportedly felt too embarrassed to come forward, suffering financial losses without recourse. The source added, “The vast majority of people who he asked for loans were stung and far too embarrassed to contact the Gardai. They just took the hit and moved on.”

Following his sentencing, Carey is expected to spend several months at Mountjoy before potentially being moved to an open prison, given his non-violent crime. A prison source indicated that he poses no threat to other inmates and that typically, white-collar criminals are housed in less secure facilities. However, due to current overcrowding in Irish prisons, this may not be immediately possible.

The prison medical team is closely monitoring Carey’s health, particularly after he failed to attend his initial sentencing hearing due to a visit to an accident and emergency department in Galway. As is standard procedure for new inmates, he will also undergo a psychiatric assessment.

As the details continue to unfold, the case of DJ Carey serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of deception and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their reputations and financial interests.