Corey Ireland: A timeline of events leading to cattle fraud charges

It’s been years since NSW cattle breeder Corey Ireland was first charged with fraud. See the full timeline of his legal matters.

It’s been three years since NSW cattle breeder Corey Ireland was first charged with alleged cattle fraud, and the long-running matter is still developing.

The former Irelands Angus principal, who ran a cattle stud at Kyeamba, south of Wagga Wagga, is now facing 16 criminal charges. Police allege that he swindled farmers and investors of millions by on-selling cattle that either did not exist, were dead or had already been sold. The charges, which also relate to alleged unpaid loans and agistment, add up to more than $4.5 million.

Since the first charges in April 2020, the matter has taken complex twists and turns through the NSW Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Circuit Court.

Mr Ireland, who now resides in northern NSW, is yet to enter a plea on the fraud charges.

The Weekly Times has contacted him and his solicitor for comment.

To date, there have been no convictions against Mr Ireland.

Here is a timeline of the events so far:

Irelands Angus Kelleher K34 was sold in the stud's August 2015 sale.

MARCH 28, 2019:

Irelands Angus is ordered to pay more than $200,000 to another breeder following civil proceedings in NSW District Court, which found Irelands misrepresented the sire of a bull. The court found Irelands sold a bull, K34, for $18,000 to Bongongo Angus in August 2015; however, it was later discovered the bull’s sire was not that noted in the sale catalogue.

The ruling was overturned in December 2019, with the NSW Court of Appeal finding in favour of the appellants Corey Ireland and his wife, Prudence Ireland. The court found the “primary judge failed to consider the character of the Irelands’ conduct as a whole”, particularly regarding the disclaimer in the auction catalogue and did not find their conduct misleading or deceptive.

Corey Ireland pictured at the former home of Irelands Angus at Kyeamba.

NOVEMBER 14, 2019:

CD and PJ Ireland Pty Limited – trustee of the Ireland family trust, trading as Irelands Angus – is placed into liquidation following an application to the NSW Supreme Court by East Coast Stockfeeds in a bid to recoup a $43,000 debt.

A report to creditors was sent from liquidator RSM Australia Partners, outlining details of the amounts CD and PJ Ireland was believed to owe individuals and businesses.

The RSM liquidators report lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission indicated debts were at least $13.3 million. Those owed money included Four 0 Eight Angus Pty Ltd, the operator of the 408 Angus Stud established by late Australian cricketer Phil Hughes and now run by his parents, Greg and Virginia Hughes.

Meanwhile, on November 15, 2019, the trustee of the Ireland family trust was transferred to a new company, IFTT Pty Ltd, set up that same day with Mrs Ireland as sole director and owner.

A man has been charged following an investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar cattle fraud. Picture: NSW Police

DECEMBER 17, 2019:

Police raid a Kyeamba property as part of the NSW Rural Crime Prevention Team’s Strikeforce Seger, which was formed in April 2019 to investigate suspected cattle fraud in the Riverina region.

The fraud, which investigators believed at the time to be worth more than $2 million, involved the alleged fraudulent sale and trading of cattle.

Police from the Rural Crime Prevention Team and the Riverina police district executed a search warrant at 7am, continuing the next day. Investigators seized computers, documents, and more than 400 Angus cows and calves for examination.

The animals were checked over before being returned to their owners.

A man has been charged following an investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar cattle fraud. Police are pictured during Strikeforce Seger at Kyeamba. Picture: NSW Police

DECEMBER 20, 2019:

Irelands Angus wins its appeal against the March 28 civil court finding. The original judgment and costs order were overturned, and Bongongo was ordered to pay the Irelands’ court costs.

DECEMBER 24, 2019:

Westpac takes IFTT Pty Ltd to the Supreme Court to claim ownership of the cattle on the Irelands’ Ivydell property at Kyeamba.

APRIL 10, 2020:

Police charge Corey Dean Ireland, 44 at the time, of Kyeamba with eight offences related to fraud allegations estimated to be worth more than $2.5 million. He was granted conditional bail.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020:

The court-appointed spring bull sale of Corey and Prue Ireland was held on-property at Kyeamba. A total of 38 bulls sold from 46 offered to a top of $9000 and returned an average of $5289.

Ivydell, the 171-hectare Kyeamba property owned by Angus breeders Corey and Prue Ireland, has been sold for about $4.2 million. Picture: Ray White

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020:

Ivydell, the Irelands’ 171ha Kyeamba property, is sold for $4.2 million. Westpac, which had a mortgage over the property, recouped funds. However, there were caveats on the property from others, including De Lage Landen and Gippsland producer Peter August.

The former sign at Irelands Angus south of Wagga Wagga. Picture: Supplied

OCTOBER 23, 2020:

Corey and Prue Ireland’s Edgecliff apartment in Sydney is sold for $1.68 million.

NOVEMBER 26-27, 2020:

A total of 342 stud Angus females and stud sires are sold for a gross of $1.75 million during the court-appointed receivers’ Angus herd dispersal sale.

The sale was held to recoup funds after successful petitioning in court by Westpac, which had taken security over 1654 cattle. KPMG were the court-appointed receivers of certain assets of the Ireland’s Family Trust.

DECEMBER 10, 2020:

The brief against Mr Ireland is handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue 13 fraud charges. The additional five charges related to two new alleged victims coming forward to police in November 2020.

FEBRUARY 18, 2022:

The Federal Circuit Court makes Mr Ireland bankrupt after petitioning from Rabobank Australia subsidiary De Lage Landen over non-payment of a $271,000 debt related to the Irelands Angus operation.

Corey Ireland is pictured in 1999 at the Angus National, Wodonga.

FEBRUARY 1, 2023:

Corey and Prue Ireland are found not guilty of one charge relating to not delivering books to a liquidator, brought forward by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

ASIC was later ordered to pay costs of $12,500 each to Mr and Mrs Ireland by April 3.

Wagga Wagga Local Court. Picture: Sam Turner

APRIL 26, 2023:

Two new alleged victims claim losses of more than $2.2 million, according to documents lodged at Wagga Wagga Local Court as part of additional fraud charges laid against Mr Ireland. It brings the total number of charges to 16.