A FORMER Ireland hockey star has been accused of a mortgage scam with victims branding it a “dirty rotten” deceit.

Businesswoman Catriona Carey, who played hockey for Ireland and camogie for her native Kilkenny, is reported to have conned distraught homeowners across the country out of thousands of euro.

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RTE Investigates unravelled the workings of the alleged fraud involving Carey following the economic and housing crash.

Householders in financial difficulty and at risk of losing their family homes were targeted under the scheme.

Trained accountant Carey met with struggling householders, telling prospective clients she was in the business of buying distressed mortgages cheaply from banks.

Carey told victims that her company, Careysfort Asset Estates, – which is registered in England – would buy their debt from their lender at a discount and then sell back the debt at a lower price.

The scheme was an apparent “win-win” – Careysfort Asset Estates would make money on the interest payments on the new loan and the borrower would have a sustainable mortgage and a much better chance of staying in their home.

DEPOSIT DEMAND

But to avail of the deal, Carey’s company wanted money up front as a deposit – usually between 10 per cent and 30 per…