The pictures were used as part of a scam in New Zealand which has seen women conned out of hundreds of thousands of euro.
Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann Mark Daly's photo was used on a fake profile with the name Rodney Mullen, as part of a scam which led one woman to hand over 300,000 euro.
In New Zealand publication
Stuff, a woman who went by the name Donna spoke of how she swiped right and became infatuated with "Mullen". The couple would speak on the phone and email regularly - Mullen even sent her a copy of what he claimed to be his US passport (with Mark Daly's picture).
Image via Stuff.
Mullen claimed to be working on an overhead bridge in Dubai. He told Donna there was a hold up with material needed to complete the project, and that the contractors were unhappy and wanted to be paid. He asked her to "help out" and transfer him $50,000 (NZD), which Donna agreed to. She ended up giving him $517,000 before realising she had been scammed.
Mark Daly told the
Irish Times:
I am obviously horrified at the idea that unbeknown to me my image could be used in such awful activity especially where people have been defrauded. I am genuinely shocked that my picture could be taken and used like this.
Unfortunately, I don’t know any more about how this happened at this moment but my hope is that the authorities will get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.
Header image via senatormarkdaly.ie
READ NEXT: Irish Twitter reacts to most recent Dublin Airport queues
