A Co Louth accountant defrauded his partners of more than £343,000 to pay for a public house. He has been remanded on bail for sentence next March by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Rodgers used blank client cheques provided by farmers who thought this would get them discounts in accountancy fees, and took £78,500 from one family's investment account. i. Rodgers (45), of Bishop's Court, Dundalk, pleaded guilty to two sample charges of forgery and obtaining by false pretences on dates from 1990 to 1994.
Det Sgt John Finan, Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, told Mr George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, that Rodgers defrauded the company over four years to pay for a pub in Dundalk. When the pub ran into difficulties, he moved money out of clients' accounts and also stole cheques paid by farmers for their accountancy fees. Det Sgt Finan told Mr Birmingham that Rodgers joined the Frank Lynch and Co accountancy firm in Dundalk in 1975. He became a partner in 1980 and was later promoted manager of the farming division. His senior partner, Mr Frank Lynch, uncovered irregularities in 1996.
In one transaction in April 1990, Rodgers withdrew £45,000 from a client's ACC account and used it to pay auctioneers acting on behalf of the vendors of Sharkey's pub. The following month, he withdrew £78,500 from another client's investment account and also used this as part payment for the pub.
Det Sgt Finan said Rodgers was arrested on January 17th, 1996, and made a full admission. He also explained various transactions and agreed to stay in Dundalk garda station longer than the legal detention period required to assist gardai. Witness said Frank Lynch and Co had since compensated clients and had itself suffered losses of between £40,000 to £45,000.
He told Mr Martin Giblin SC, defending, that Rodgers had since paid back nearly £100,000 but £243,103 remained outstanding.
Judge Elizabeth Dunne ordered that Rodgers hand over an independent surety of £5,000 and sign on every day at Dundalk Garda station.