Priest Loses €50,000 in Broadband Phishing Scam. Man Receives Suspended Sentence

A parish priest in Ireland lost nearly €50,000 after falling victim to a broadband phishing scam, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on March 5, 2026. The scam involved a fraudulent request for a connection fee payment through online banking. A man, Kelvin Kleinovas, was given a suspended sentence for allowing €10,000 of the stolen funds to be deposited into his account.

Details of the Scam

The priest reported the theft to gardaí after Bank of Ireland alerted him to suspicious activity and froze his account. He had received a phone call claiming to be from a broadband company, informing him of a line upgrade and requesting a €5 one-off payment. He was instructed that the screen would briefly go blank during processing, but would return to complete the transaction.

Over a four-day period, the priest attempted the payment approximately 40 times, resulting in a total loss of almost €50,000. The priest expressed his belief that the bank failed to adequately protect him as a customer, stating he expected security measures to prevent such a large sum from being stolen.

Kelvin Kleinovas’s Involvement

Kelvin Kleinovas (24), of Mayeston Green, St Margaret’s Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime in his bank account in August 2019. Dublin People reports that Kleinovas allowed €10,000 of the stolen money to be lodged into his account.

Kleinovas claimed he was approached and asked to provide his bank details for payment, but was never compensated for doing so. He received a suspended sentence for his role in the crime.

Bank’s Response and Ongoing Concerns

The priest has not been reimbursed by his bank for the stolen funds, according to The Independent. This case highlights the vulnerability of individuals to online banking scams and raises questions about the responsibility of financial institutions to protect their customers.

Recent Similar Cases

Recent reports indicate a rise in cyber fraud cases. Undercoverist.org notes that similar incidents are occurring, with fraudsters targeting individuals through various online schemes. Recent arrests include cases in Bhubaneswar, Kandivli, Derby, Genoa, Kolkata, and Solan, demonstrating the global reach of these criminal activities.