Chartered accountant receives suspended sentence for €144,000 theft

A 59‑year‑old chartered accountant from Hazelwood, Kilglass, County Limerick has been given a three‑year suspended jail term after diverting more than €140,000 from her employer.

Deborah Lynch pleaded guilty to 43 charges in Cork Circuit Criminal Court, including 20 counts of theft totalling €144,000 and 23 counts of creating false documents to facilitate the fraud. The thefts occurred between April 2019 and July 2023 while she handled shipping invoices for Change Healthcare Ireland Solutions Ltd., Grange East, Buttevant, County Cork.

Detective Garda John Murphy said Lynch’s senior position meant her work was not scrutinised as closely as that of newer staff. The scheme was uncovered after an internal audit in December 2023 identified a July 2023 payment to an AIB account that did not belong to any of the company’s three main shipping firms. Further investigation revealed the account was owned by Lynch and that a total of 20 fraudulent transfers had been made to it.

Garda Murphy noted Lynch was cooperative from the outset, expressed genuine remorse and raised €50,000 in compensation to the company. Defence barrister Paula McCarthy described Lynch as “ashamed” and said she had sold her family home, moved to Mayo and was under personal stress at the time.

Judge Sinéad Behan observed that Lynch abused a position of trust built over many years, but noted she has no signs of wealth or an extravagant lifestyle and accepted her written apology.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: David Guerrero / Pexels.