Corey Ireland: More than $2.2m in new fraud charges

Fresh charges in the fraud case against a former NSW Angus breeder bring alleged losses to more than $4.5m.

A new alleged victim is claiming losses of more than $2.2 million as part of additional fraud charges laid in the case against former NSW Angus breeder Corey Ireland, according to documents submitted to Wagga Wagga Local Court today.

The new dollar amounts from the fresh charges add to the estimate by NSW Rural Crime Investigators of alleged losses of more than $2.5 million amassed by multiple victims of charges laid in 2020.

Alleged victims Henk and Wilhelmina Van Den Heuvel of NSW have claims relating to the three new charges, with two separate amounts, both stated at $1,100,000.

The separate amounts relate to the purchase of a total of 200 stud Angus cows in two different transactions.

The third charge, also relating to Mr and Mrs Van Den Heuvel, is for an alleged amount of $49,500 to purchase nine stud bulls from Mr Ireland.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission records show that Mr and Mrs Van Den Heuvel had interests in Ireland’s Angus Breeding with Mr Ireland and his wife, Prue.

The Weekly Times is not suggesting wrongdoing by Mrs Ireland or Mr and Mrs Van Den Heuvel.

Ireland’s Angus Breeding has since been deregistered, as has the business entity Ireland’s Angus.

Mr Ireland now faces a total of 16 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, with the new charges mentioned in Wagga Wagga Local Court this morning.

Mr Ireland did not appear in court and was represented by Wagga Wagga solicitor Zac Tankard, acting as agent on behalf of Foulsham and Geddes lawyers in Sydney.

Magistrate Christopher Halburd asked if Mr Ireland was in the courtroom, to which Mr Tankard replied no, he was excused and legally represented.

Mr Tankard requested that Mr Ireland be excused, if legally represented, again when the matter is before Wagga Wagga Local Court on June 7.

The NSW police prosecuting authority Gabrielle Knight was also in court.

The matter is now listed for further mention (committal) on June 7, again in Wagga Wagga Local Court, and the bail conditions, initially set for Mr Ireland on April 8 2020, will continue without variation.

Mr Ireland is yet to enter a plea in relation to the fraud charges.

Wagga Wagga Local Court. Picture: Sam Turner

Police initially launched Strike Force Seger in 2019, to investigate suspected fraudulent cattle transactions. The former home of Mr Ireland and Ireland’s Angus Stud at Kyeamba, south of Wagga Wagga, was raided on December 17 2019.

Then in 2020, he was charged by police with 13 counts of fraud.

He was granted conditional bail on April 8 2020, and that undertaking shows that he currently resides in northern NSW.

Other matters have been heard in the Sydney Downing Centre, the Federal Circuit Court and the NSW Supreme Court.

Police alleged that Mr Ireland swindled farmers and investors of millions by onselling cattle that either did not exist, were dead or had already been sold.

In addition to the criminal matter, creditors, including Westpac Bank and finance company De Lage Landen took civil action to recoup money.

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

In February last year, Federal Circuit registrar Thomas Morgan placed Mr Ireland into bankruptcy after being petitioned by Rabobank Australia’s subsidiary De Lage Landen over a non-payment of $271,000.

The bid to recoup money followed from the liquidation of the company CD and PJ Ireland.

CD and PJ Ireland was the trustee for the Ireland Family Trust, which traded at Ireland’s Angus Stud.

Corey and Prue Ireland with the top price bull, which made $20,000 at their sale.

In March this year Mr Ireland and his wife, Prudence Jane Ireland, were found not guilty of one charge relating to not delivering books to receivers.

As a result, they will each receive $12,500 in costs from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission after a decision in the Sydney Downing Centre. Mr and Mrs Ireland were principals of the former Ireland’s Angus cattle stud that was based at Kyeamba, south of Wagga Wagga.

They had both pleaded not guilty to the charge of not delivering books to the receiver in June last year.

Liquidation of their business resulted after court action on November 14, 2019, from petitioning creditor East Coast Stockfeeds.