Gardaí called in after Westmeath Co Council defrauded of €515,000

Council has admitted sum was extracted via a third party

The issue is currently under investigation by gardaí and the council says it is co-operating fully with that investigation. Photograph: Karl Tapales/Getty
The issue is currently under investigation by gardaí and the council says it is co-operating fully with that investigation. Photograph: Karl Tapales/Getty

Westmeath County Council has admitted it has been defrauded out of a sum of more than €500,000.

The council paid out €515,000 in a payment to a third party. The information was conveyed via email to councillors on Wednesday night.

The council contacted An Garda Síochána as soon as it was told of the fraudulent transactions and engaged the services of specialist advisers who advise local authorities on fraud issues.

The issue is currently under investigation by gardaí. The council said it is co-operating fully with that investigation.

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The council stated that it will issue a further statement presently when more is known about the case.

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Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times