BILLIONAIRE DENIS O’BRIEN is among the people ex-hurling star DJ Carey pleaded guilty to fraudulently inducing to pay him money for cancer treatment.

The ten counts Carey pleaded guilty to today spanned eight years and involved 13 complainants.

The trial had been expected to last three to four weeks before Carey gave his plea this morning in the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. He’ll be sentenced later this year.

Today, it was put to the 54-year-old that he induced various people, on dates between 2014 and 2022, to make a monetary payment to him after fraudulently claiming to have cancer and needing finances for his treatment, with the intention of making a gain to him and causing a loss to another.

In relation to Denis O’Brien, Carey was charged with inducing him to make a payment to him between January 2014 and September 2022. 

O’Brien, a mogul in Ireland’s communications and media industries, rose to prominence during the Celtic Tiger era.

O’Brien is a known sports fan and he or his companies have contributed to sports teams in Ireland and abroad throughout the years. During Carey’s playing days, O’Brien’s Esat Digifone was the shirt sponsor for Cork GAA.

He gave no comment today when asked to respond to Carey’s guilty plea. He also did not confirm whether he gave any money to Carey for the purpose of paying for cancer treatment.

Carey had claimed his condition could only be treated in the United States.

Among the others Carey is charged with inducing to make payments to him are Aidan Mulligan, between June and September 2022; Christy Browne, between September and October 2022; Thomas Butler, between October 2019 and November 2022; Jeffrey Howes, between February 1 2022 and August 8 2022; Noel Tynan, between January 1 2017 and October 2022, and Edwin Carey, between December 21 2021 and November 12 2022.

Carey’s solicitor Edward Hughes told the court today that he has “genuinely significant health issues” and underwent surgery for a heart condition.

He also has “certain mental health issues” and Hughes asked that a psychological report be done ahead of sentencing.

Carey is regarded as one of the greatest hurlers to have played the game, winning five All-Ireland senior medals with Kilkenny, once as captain.

He was named Hurler of the Year in 2000, while he won nine All-Star awards. Since retiring from play, he has managed the Kilkenny U21 hurlers and was a selector for the county senior team.

He’ll be sentenced on 29 October.