Copyright evoke
Shamed hurling legend DJ Carey duped his cousin out of thousands of euro, using his own father's death from cancer to secure the money. The sports star - who is spending his first weekend in jail as he awaits sentencing tomorrow - approached his relative Edwin Carey at DJ's father's funeral in 2021. Within days he followed up with a phonecall to his cousin, during which DJ falsely claimed he also had cancer and needed to travel to the US or Canada, asking for €5,000. Edwin Carey said he was 'happy to help', lending his famous cousin the money, believing the cash would help save his life. DJ Carey later sought further payment, but because he was 'vague' about the treatment, Edwin Carey decided not to give him any more cash. The revelation is detailed in a new book, The Dodger: DJ Carey and the Great Betrayal, by journalist Eimear Ní Bhraonáin, which was published this week. Despite promising to repay his cousin, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this week heard that no money was ever paid back. A source noted that Carey's decision to fake a cancer diagnosis after both his parents died of the disease underlines how 'ruthless' he was in trying to coax money from victims. The book also reveals how a medical letter relating to his father John's cancer diagnosis, found at a house DJ had been renting, had his name blocked out. The letter was among the belongings DJ Carey had left behind at the property after he had stopped paying rent, which also included a picture of him with golf legend Tiger Woods. Sources last night said Carey was under close watch at Cloverhill Prison in West Dublin, where he was placed in protective custody following his sentencing hearing on Friday. A source told the MoS the high-profile prisoner is being 'watched like a hawk' amid concerns for his welfare. They added that Carey, whose defence counsel told the court he had serious health problem, including having heart surgery in 2024, was assessed by a doctor in custody yesterday morning. On Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said a 'custodial sentence is inevitable' when Carey returns to court tomorrow. The nine-times GAA All-Star has admitted dishonestly inducing 13 people to pay him sums to fund treatment for cancer that he did not have. Judge Nolan said other counts relating to around nine other people will also be taken into account. He noted he wanted to compliment people who responded to Carey in what they believed was his hour of need. The total sums obtained by Carey from more than 20 people, including the businessman Denis O'Brien, were €394,127 and $13,000 US dollars. Of this, €44,200 was repaid, leaving the outstanding sum at €349,927 and $13,000. In a victim impact statement, Mr O'Brien said he had received hundreds of requests over years from other people for support and was never defrauded by any of them. 'To my embarrassment, I was completely duped by DJ Carey,' Mr O'Brien said. The court also heard details of the Garda investigation into Carey's cancer scams. In December 2022, gardaí obtained warrants for Carey's home, a hotel room in Co. Kilkenny, and his car. When gardaí arrived, he invited them into his room and gave them his car keys and his phone together with its PIN. His passport was seized and he was advised to consult a solicitor. A large quantity of data was downloaded. There were references to cancer and to having to go to Seattle for treatment. Messages also revealed many excuses for non-payment of monies, often saying he was in Seattle or blaming the banks for sums not going through. Gardaí found letters purporting to be from the Fred Hutch cancer centre in Seattle. When gardaí contacted the centre, it had no record of a patient named Denis or DJ Carey. In 2022, Carey arrived by appointment at a Garda station where he spoke to gardaí under a voluntary caution. He said he had been sick in 2012 with a heart wall virus and that, at that time, he made up a story that he was sick with cancer to buy time because he had a substantial debt with AIB. He admitted he had never been sick with cancer and never sought treatment for the disease. Passport details showed Carey had not travelled to the US since 2015 and the Fred Hutch cancer centre had no record of him attending the facility. The damning revelations of Carey's cancer scam have irreparably tarnished the hurling legend's reputation. In a glittering sporting career, Carey was named Hurler of the Year in 2000 and won nine All-Star awards. Since retiring from play, he has managed the Kilkenny U21 hurlers and was also a selector for the county's senior team.
