A French actor has claimed that he is the victim of a multi-million euro scam carried out by a man who claimed to be “an Irish lord from an ancient family”.
Dany Boon claims that Thierry Fialek Birles – aka Terry Birles or Thierry Waterford-Mandeville – committed an “elaborate fraud” by telling him “lie after lie”.
Boon’s counsel Rossa Fanning SC told the High Court that Birles committed the scam through a network of companies, accusing Birles of being somebody who “goes by several aliases”.
The High Court heard that Boon came into contact with Birles last year following a recommendation from a mutual associate. Boon – a keen sailor – hoped that Birles could provide services for his yacht.
Birles allegedly informed Boon that he was a partner with South Sea Merchant’s Mariners Ltd Partnership (SSMM), a company that his family had established more than 100 years ago to provide special marine services.
Boon, who said he was led to believe that Birles came from an ancient Irish family, advanced him €2.2 million to cover the cost of repairing the yacht.
Boon later advanced €4.5 million to SSMM after Birles told him of an investment scheme with the Central Bank of Ireland, the High Court heard.
However, he claimed that Birles subsequently informed that SSMM had been taken over by an Italian family called Rossi, although he said he was staying on as an adviser.
Birles later informed Boon that the Rossi family had dismissed him as an…
