Charity fraudster to compensate victims

Victims of a bogus charity collector are to receive compensation following work carried out by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU). 

In September last year Eileen McDonagh from London received a two-year suspended sentence having pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud and a charge of money laundering.

McDonagh had purchased a Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) lanyard and uniform and posed as a RNLI charity collector to steal from people on the streets of Bath and Exeter. Often accompanied by some of her children who were also wearing branded clothing, McDonagh lied to donors telling them a family member had drowned at sea which was why she was collecting donations on behalf of the charity.

On one occasion a victim who believed they were donating £2 via a card reader had the amount secretly changed by McDonagh to £20. Another who agreed to donate £10 found they had £100 stolen from their bank account. During her period of offending McDonagh made over 3,600 successful transactions before she was arrested in 2023.

Following her conviction, SWROCU instigated confiscation proceedings and an order was granted on 6 July at Bristol Crown Court.

McDonagh was found to have benefited from her criminality to the amount of £64,178.86 and assessed to have £996.98 of funds available. From the available amount the four victims who supported the investigation are in the process of receiving full compensation.

Detective Inspector Dan Watts from SWROCU said:  

"McDonagh deliberately defrauded members of the public by appearing as a volunteer who was authorised to raise funds for the RNLI. Recovering money from such criminality can be challenging but thanks to our detailed financial investigation and the use of Proceeds of Crime Act powers, I am pleased that the four victims who assisted in the prosecution were able to be recompensed.

"We are committed to ensuring offenders do not keep the money they have made through illicit means. The confiscation order which has been granted can be revisited at any time; if we become aware of any new assets available to McDonagh in the future, these can be seized and used to pay the remainder owed."