Boss of fundraising platform at centre of €3.8m embezzlement case may be suffering from PTSD, court told

Businessman Peter Conlon may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder over being held in solitary confinement in a Swiss prison for a year, the High Court has heard.

Boss of fundraising platform at centre of €3.8m embezzlement case may be suffering from PTSD, court told

Businessman Peter Conlon may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder over being held in solitary confinement in a Swiss prison for a year, the High Court has heard.

Mr Conlon's firm, the charities fundraising platform Pembroke Dynamic, is under investigation over alleged misappropriation of some €3.8m in donations.

Last year the High Court granted the firm's liquidator Myles Kirby an injunction freezing Mr Conlon's assets, including his bank accounts, below a value of €3.8m.

Those orders remain in place.

Mr Kirby is also seeking various orders against Mr Conlon, including an order that he be made personally liable for the company's debts.

Mr Conlon returned to Ireland last December following his release from prison in Switzerland, where he was convicted of embezzlement.

The liquidator is unable to proceed with the application because of issues including the service of court documents on Mr Conlon. The matter has been adjourned on several occasions

Today, Ms Justice Reynolds said that inappropriately an email had been sent to the court containing details about Mr Conlon's health.

The e-mail contained a letter from a GP who said the businessman attended at their practice in late January.

The letter said Mr Conlon had been detained in Zurich from December 22, 2017 until December 22, 2018.

Mr Conlon was held in solitary confinement for 365 days for 23 hours a day, the letter continued.

The doctor said since his release and return to Ireland he had been suffering from flashbacks, anxiety, and insomnia and other symptoms suggestive of PTSD.

The doctor added that Mr Conlon has told her that due to his financial situation he did not have the resources to purchase medication the GP had prescribed for him.

He has applied for a medical card and disability benefit, and the doctor said she has advised him to attend counselling, the letter added.

Gerard Meehan Bl for the liquidator said Mr Conlon was playing a game of "hide and seek with the court", had not obtained lawyers to represent him in the action, and has not furnished any swore statement setting out his assets.

Mr Conlon, he said is understood to be in Nice in the South of France, but has not obtained a lawyer to represent him, and has communicated to his client through third parties.

Following an application from counsel, Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the matter for five weeks. The Judge also directed that Mr Conlon enter an appearance within two weeks and that he file a sworn statement including details of his medical conditions.

In January 2018, Mr Kirby was appointed as liquidator of Pembroke Dynamic over a €400,000 debt owed to Revenue.

Pembroke, which previously traded as Ammado Internet Services, was an online donation platform through which people could give money to various charities - with the company taking five per cent.

Mr Kirby sought freezing orders after he commenced an investigation into the firm's affairs.

He claims various charities have not received some €3.8m donated to them via the platform.

Mr Kirby claims Mr Conlon (64), with an address at St Mary’s Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin is "guilty of very serious misconduct" as company funds were used for personal expenditure.

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