Samantha Cookes has been remanded in custody after being accused of defrauding the Department of Social Protection of nearly €60,000. The hearing took place in Tralee District Court, where Cookes, who has no fixed abode, was arrested outside a local post office on Friday while attempting to collect a weekly disability allowance of €232.
Cookes faces two counts of fraud amounting to €464, with additional charges expected to follow, according to gardaí. She is featured in an RTÉ Documentary on One podcast released last month, which delves into a series of alleged fraudulent activities.
Cookes initially filed a claim for Supplementary Welfare Allowance in February 2020, citing Huntington’s disease. In September 2021, she submitted a disability allowance claim, supported by a doctor’s signature. However, gardaí uncovered discrepancies in her medical claims, revealing that Cookes misled her doctor into believing she was adopted, thereby complicating her medical history verification. The doctor signed the application in good faith, unaware of the deception.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that Cookes had posed as a safety consultant under various aliases, including Jane Harris and Samantha Jade Williams. She provided invoices for services rendered, which were deposited into her personal bank account.
Garda Raphael Liston, who has been investigating Cookes since April 2024, provided evidence during the hearing. He opposed her bail application, citing her history of using multiple aliases to conceal her identity and the potential for further financial and emotional harm to the community. Liston expressed concerns that Cookes might attempt to flee, noting she is a UK citizen with no family ties to Ireland and had not surrendered her passport.
Cookes maintains that she believes she has Huntington’s disease and has experienced neurological symptoms since 2019. She attributed her challenges in engaging with services to pre-existing mental health issues.
Her legal representative, Pat Mann, argued against the flight risk claim, stating that Cookes did not possess a passport and remained in Ireland during the investigation. Mann also proposed that Cookes would comply with bail conditions to stay in the area until the case concludes.
Despite these arguments, Judge David Waters denied bail, stating he was not convinced any conditions would prevent Cookes from evading the judicial system. She has been granted legal aid and is scheduled to appear before Tralee District Court again on Wednesday via video link.