Ex-RTÉ star was at 'rock bottom' when she became money mule for ...

Nikki Hayes (44) was struggling with mental health, relationship and financial problems when she “recklessly” gave her details to a fraudster who used her account to "plunder" the money.

The former RTÉ 2FM and Classic Hits star, who was "taken advantage of" by people who knew she was vulnerable, had now seen her successful broadcast career "crash and come to nothing", her defence said.

Judge Martina Baxter adjourned the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today for sentencing next month.

Hayes, whose real name is Eimear Black O’Keeffe, pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime in an incident in November 2020. Detective Garda Neill Gavin of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau said on November 5, that year, a man received a text message that looked to be from PTSB Bank.

This indicated he had paired a new device and required him to click a link if he had not done so.

He clicked it and it brought him to his own bank account where he followed prompts. As a result, €15,000 was withdrawn from his account in three transactions of €2,600, €2,400 that day and €10,000 the following day.

The money went into the accused’s bank account and was withdrawn by Revolut and an ATM at Liffey Valley on the same day.

A “blonde lady” was present at the withdrawals but gardai were not able to say this was the accused.

Some of the money was “clawed back” and returned to the bank but there was still a loss of €2,000 outstanding. Gardai “didn’t have any difficulty” tracking down the accused and she cooperated with the investigation.

Hayes told gardai she had “fallen on hard times”, somebody had made contact with her and she was told there was someone who could “make her position a bit easier” if she allowed her account to be used.

It was suggested she might get €2,000 for this.

She allowed the use of her account but was then pressurised to let the transactions continue.

She denied she withdrew the money.

Hayes’ only prior convictions were for minor motoring offences.

Det Gda Gavin agreed with defence barrister Keith Spencer the accused had “no hand act or part” in the smishing scam.

Hayes had been in debt to the tune of €53,000, owing money to various institutions including the bank and RTE.

She had sold her car and used the proceeds to bring her daughter to Disneyland.

As well as financial difficulties, at the time she had been “suffering a lot of turbulence” in her relationship with her husband, having separated with divorce proceedings initiated.

They had difficulties in 2017 and she was “dealing with the fallout of that.” Hayes was diagnosed with bipolar or personality disorder, Mr Spencer said.

She had struggled with this for many years and had been misdiagnosed in the past. She had self-medicated by over indulging in alcohol at times of “despair and turmoil.”

Hayes had been drinking to excess at the time of the offences and had not been complying with her medication.

"She had reached rock bottom and was looking around for ways to make money," Mr Spencer said.

An erstwhile friend told her there was an “easy way to make money” and the friend put her in touch with “an individual on Snapchat” who called her to arrange a meeting in Blanchardstown.

Hayes had been “off her meds and not thinking correctly.”

She handed over her cards and details but they were not returned, the irregular transactions were carried out and the account was “plundered”, Mr Spencer said.

When she saw the irregularities, she contacted this person and said she would tell the gardai.

She then came under threats and was told an “individual... would burn down her address,” Mr Spencer continued.

“She was a genuinely vulnerable individual who was taken advantage of by people who knew she was in a vulnerable position,” Mr Spencer said. The putative monetary benefit of €2,000 “never accrued to her.”

Mr Spencer said there had been publicity campaigns about such scams but the awareness of the dangers of giving over details may have been less in 2020.

Hayes had built up a successful career in radio over many years, including eight years working for RTE, as well as Spin 103.8 and Classic Hits, he said.

That had now “crashed and come to nothing” and she had suffered the “ultimate penalty” with the loss of her career.

Hayes had earlier been made redundant from Classic Hits, but when charged, she was then also let go from East Coast FM as a “direct consequence,” of media reporting, Mr Spencer said.

“Someone who builds themselves up that high often has further to fall,” he said.

Hayes, who had also written a book about her mental health struggles, was now pursuing a course in accountancy.

A probation report stated she was at high risk of re-offending but Det Gda Gavin disagreed, saying “she complied fully, it was not exactly a sophisticated scam and I don’t believe she would fall back into it a second time.”

Mr Spencer also submitted the risk was much lower than stated in the probation report.

Hayes was remorseful, had completely overcome her addictions issues, was abstaining from alcohol and drugs and was complying with her prescribed medication, Mr Spencer said.

Judge Baxter adjourned sentencing to November 2 for urinalysis results and “more paperwork” on the financial issues.