A High Court case against auctioneer and former Fianna Fáil County Councillor Gerard Killally and the former Offaly football manager Richie Connor involving disputes over land deals has begun.
Three businessmen who were involved in four partnerships with Mr Killally and Mr Connor to buy land in Offaly have claimed they hived off portions of land in some deals and made secret profits from others.
In two of these deals, sub sales took place where the land was actually bought for a lower price than the one disclosed to the other partners allowing secret profits totalling over €3m to be made.
Mr Killally and Mr Connor have already admitted making secret profits from two of the deals but deny any private gain from the other two.
Their partners are continuing with a High Court action for damages and have made further claims about two other land deals.
In these they claim that portions of the land were hived off without their knowledge to companies connected to the defendants.
The court was told they were shocked to discover the details of the transactions, which involved sub sales and holding companies.
They had entered into the deals under the guidance and advice of Mr Killally and Mr Connor beacuse they were auctioneers.
The case is expected to last six days.
