David Williams, 67, also known as David McHugh, has been arrested after missing his sentencing hearing, prompting the issue of a bench warrant. Williams, a serial fraudster, was wanted for defrauding over 1,200 people while posing as a barrister. He had previously worked as an accountant for former pop star Kerry Katona.
After failing to appear in Dublin court on January 17, 2025, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. For over a week, Williams remained on the run, believed to be hiding at a property in Rathmore, Kildare, before being spotted by Gardaí in Wicklow.
Williams pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges committed between January 2019 and June 2020. He also scammed an elderly woman in Galway into buying a mini-digger for more than €7,000.
Before his arrest, Williams had a prior conviction in the UK for a £4 million fraud scheme. Katona, who had worked with him in the past, publicly shared her experience, revealing that his actions had caused her to lose everything.
David Williams will be sentenced for his crimes later this month.
