A 51-year-old investment scheme operator has appeared in court charged with 38 theft and deception offences totalling €11m.
Breifne O'Brien, with an address at Kilmore, Monkstown Grove in Monkstown, was arrested by appointment by detectives from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation this morning.
Det Sergeant Martin Griffin told the court that Mr O’Brien was arrested at 9am and, when the charges were put to him, replied "not guilty" to each one.
The detective said half of the charges relate to deception offences, while the others relate to theft.
He said there were five injured parties: Martin O’Brien, Pat Doyle, Evan Newell, Louis Dowley and Daniel Maher.
The charges in relation to Mr Dowley total €4m.
Mr O'Brien was granted bail after his mother, Mary O’Brien, put herself forward as an independent surety of €10,000.
She assured Judge Cormac Dunne that she understood the legal implications and her obligations in default and that she was acting in a voluntary capacity.
Detective Sergeant Griffin said gardaí were satisfied as to Ms O’Brien’s resources and that she could be depended upon to realise the amount.
Judge Dunne remanded Mr O’Brien to appear again at the Dublin District Court in November.
