New RT series tells stranger-than-fiction stories of Irish con artists

New RT series tells stranger-than-fiction stories of Irish con artists

Swindlers airs Wednesday 18 February, 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player

Swindlers, a new true-crime series begins on Wednesday 18 February at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player. The three-part series tells the extraordinary and shocking stories of some of Ireland's most renowned con-artists and white-collar criminals through the voices of the victims, friends and colleagues they deceived, the journalists that covered the cases and the law enforcers who fought for justice to be served.

Each episode unravels a complex web of deceit and examines the personalities of the swindlers behind each con. The series explores the calculated tactics they used to deceive friends, family and institutions, and the methods that led to the swindlers' eventual downfall.

Episode one reveals the shocking story of international con artist, bigamist and sweet-talking criminal, Tyrone woman Julia Holmes. Julia swindled millions of pounds from multiple victims across three continents over four decades using 40 aliases. She spent time in prison in Texas for fraud and was the subject of multiple criminal investigations involving the FBI, the PSNI and An Garda S och na. Victims, law enforcement and the journalists who followed her antics tell the story of her life, incredulous crimes and ultimate downfall, but also the hurt and trauma she left behind.

Speaking in episode one about Julia coming into her life as a child, Kim Parrish Saunders, whose father Clyde Parrish married Julia Holmes in the US said: There was no feeling or emotion in her eyes She had gone nineteen and a half years scamming everyone that she met. I think she believed that she was untouchable.

Episode two tells the story of Dublin solicitor Thomas Byrne, who stole 52 million from Irish banking institutions and took ownership of 12 of his victims' houses in one of the biggest cases of white-collar crime in the history of the Irish State. From his beginnings as a local trusted solicitor, Byrne deceived his neighbours and clients by transferring a dozen of their properties into his own name without their knowledge or consent and took out multiple mortgages from the banks by using the houses as collateral.

Episode three examines the Custom House Capital (CHC) scandal, one of Ireland's most notorious investment fraud cases. The scheme involved the systematic misappropriation of approximately 61 million in client funds, leaving more than 2,000 investors, many of them retirees, facing devastating financial losses. In this episode, several of the victims recount their harrowing experiences.

Episode one of Swindlers: Julia Holmes will air on Wednesday 18 February, 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player.

-ENDS-

For more information:

adaoin Nic Giolla Chomhaill, RT Communications Lead, eadaoin.nicgiolla@rte.ie

LINK:	https://about.rte.ie/2026/02/13/new-rte-series-tells-stranger-than-fic...
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