A consultant surgeon and his wife have been found guilty of defrauding €700,000 from insurance companies through a false breast cancer claim.
Dr Emad Massoud (52) and wife Gehan Massoud (43), a nurse, of Woodview, Brownstown, Ratoath, Co Meath, were convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
They had pleaded not guilty to intent to defraud the insurance companies by falsely pretending that Mrs Massoud had suffered breast cancer and that there was an obligation on them to settle serious illness claims.
On the 15th day of their trial, the Massouds were found guilty of defrauding €685,658 from Scottish Provident on March 25th, 2002, and €45,338 on February 22nd, 2002, from Lifetime Assurance Company.
The jury of seven men and four women deliberated for two hours to return the guilty verdicts.
Judge Patrick McCartan remanded Emad Massoud in custody and his wife on continung bail for sentence in March.