Former Irish sporting legend DJ CAREY sentenced to 5 years in prison for falsely claiming he had cancer to defraud wealthy donors

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 - Former Irish hurling legend DJ Carey has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after admitting to defrauding dozens of people out of nearly £350,000 (€400,000) by falsely claiming he had cancer.

The 54-year-old former Kilkenny player, regarded as one of the greatest hurlers of his generation, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of deception after convincing individuals, including wealthy donors, to give him money for fake cancer treatments between 2014 and 2022.

During sentencing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan condemned Carey’s actions, saying he had “exploited the good nature of people” who believed they were helping someone in genuine need.

“He appealed not to the weakness of humans, which fraudsters usually do, but to their goodness,” the judge said. “The people who fell for his fraud were good-natured people who wanted to help a person in need.”

Among Carey’s victims was Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien, who reportedly gave him £109,500 (€125,000) and also assisted with accommodation and travel. In total, 22 individuals were defrauded, though Carey has so far repaid only around £38,500 (€44,000).

The court heard that Carey even went as far as sending victims a staged photograph of himself lying on a bed with an iPhone charging cable taped to his nose, pretending it was an oxygen tube.

Judge Nolan described the deception as “a serious fraud carried out over many years,” adding that Carey’s “good name will probably never recover.” He noted that since admitting guilt, Carey had been subjected to “public odium and ridicule” and had suffered a dramatic fall from grace.

During the hearing, Carey stood motionless with his hands clasped in front of him, wearing the same clothes he had on when taken into custody on Friday. His defence team said he had become a pariah in Irish society and would likely face a difficult life after his release.

Carey’s sporting career spanned from the late 1980s until his retirement in 2006, during which he won five All-Ireland titles and nine All-Star Awards. He was celebrated as an icon of the Gaelic game of hurling, a sport with roots tracing back to the 14th century.

Once hailed as a national hero, DJ Carey’s reputation has now been irreparably tarnished by one of the most shocking fraud cases in Irish sporting history.