Episode Two – Thomas Byrne – The Thomas Byrne Affair
This episode tells the story of Dublin solicitor Thomas Byrne who stole €52 million from the banks and took ownership of 12 of his victims’ houses in one of the biggest cases of white-collar crime in the history of the Irish State. From his humble beginnings in a solicitors office attached to his house, to hitting the big time during the economic boom of the Celtic Tiger years, to his ultimate arrest and imprisonment, this documentary charts how a local trusted solicitor scammed his neighbours and clients by transferring a dozen properties into his own name without their knowledge or consent and lending from multiple banks using the houses as collateral.
Series Synopsis
This true-crime series tells the stories of some of Ireland’s most renowned con-artists and white collar criminals through the voices of the victims they scammed, the friends and colleagues they deceived, the journalists that covered the cases and the law enforcers who brought them to justice. Far from being the masterminds of victimless crimes, these fraudsters had cunning ways of defrauding friends, family members and institutions. Some of their stories are stranger than fiction. Each episode untangles the complex web of each crime, and takes viewers on a unique and compelling journey that explores the personalities of these swindlers, how they perpetrated their crimes and the ingenious ways they were caught. This isn’t simply about the crimes committed. The series also explores how these crimes impact wider communities and leave a lasting imprint on people’s lives.
