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Sunday World
07-07-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Woman who bought €3,000 ring from Dublin jeweller discovers it's a fake
Independent goldsmith inspected ring bought from Shuwan Li's Empress Fine Jewels off Dublin's Grafton Street A customer of a Dublin-based jeweller who has filed for bankruptcy is 'disappointed but not surprised' to learn that a €3,000 emerald and diamond ring she purchased contains fake gemstones. Shuwan Li, who ran Empress Fine Jewels on Johnson's Court off Grafton Street, was being pursued for debts of €1.5m when she went bankrupt in March. The Sunday World recently revealed that another customer took legal action against Empress Fine Jewels, which was ordered to pay her nearly €35,000, after diamond rings she entrusted to the store were reported stolen while being taken by a pensioner on a bus to another location to be cleaned. In the aftermath of publicity surrounding this case, another woman decided to have her triple diamond emerald cluster ring — which she bought from the jewellery shop in December 2023 — tested. An independent valuer examined the ring using specialist technology and has in recent days confirmed the woman's suspicions that the stones are fake. This customer, who does not wish to be identified, said she visited a number of jewellers in search of an emerald ring before attending Empress Fine Jewels in mid-December 2023. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is 'The initial price I was quoted was €4,200 but I got the price down to €3,000. That was the red flag I didn't see. As they saying goes, 'if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is,'' she said. The woman said she did not expect to be sold fake emeralds from the jewellery shop on Johnson's Court, near more established jewellers in the Grafton Street area. She said she was provided with a valuation report from Empress Fine Jewels upon purchase, which stated that the '18ct gold triple diamond emerald cluster ring' had a 'market value' of €4,200. This document, as well as the woman's €3,000 invoice, have been seen by this newspaper. However, in recent weeks, the woman decided to have her emerald and diamond ring tested by a Dublin valuer to establish the authenticity of the gemstones. The independent goldsmith has now confirmed that the gemstones are not emeralds and the diamonds are also fake. Shuwan Li Sources familiar with the case say it is likely that the ring is in fact only worth a couple of hundred euro. The customer has not made a complaint to An Garda Síochána. She feels it 'might not be worthwhile' as it would be highly unlikely she would get her money back given that Ms Li has filed for bankruptcy. When she bought the piece of jewellery, the ring needed to be resized, so it took a few weeks for her to receive it. 'When I did get it, I always felt it wasn't the same ring I had chosen in the shop. It was too shiny. I always had concerns about it and now it is confirmed that it is fake. It was a wicked thing to happen but at the same time, there are far worse things going on in the world,' she said. 'You live and learn. I was duped. I had decided to treat myself and I wanted an emerald ring. Of course, I wish it didn't happen. I will probably still wear it on the odd occasion. I've accepted that it is fake and decided to just move on, because there's nothing that can be done now. 'I just hope it hasn't happened to too many other people and I would like people to be aware,' she added. An independent valuer confirmed the ring's emeralds and diamonds were not real Efforts were made to contact Ms Li for comment. Court filings show Ms Li had just €100 in cash and €21.88 in her bank account when she sought to have her €1.5m debts wiped out. Her only personal assets were a €3,000 engagement ring and a €900 wedding ring. The Sunday World reported in recent weeks that another Dublin woman obtained a judgment of almost €35,000 against Empress Fine Jewels and Ms Li earlier this year after four rings she left in for cleaning were reportedly stolen. She took a civil case against the business and a Circuit Court judgment seen by this newspaper ordered that Shuwan Li, trading as Empress Fine Jewels and Empress Fine Jewels Ltd, reimburse her €34,180. However, court documents also reveal that Ms Li filed for bankruptcy on March 3 this year, so the woman who sued her is unlikely to be compensated. Shuwan Li Mooney ran a jewellery shop in Dublin city centre On May 8, 2024, the woman left four rings worth around €35,000 into the store to be cleaned. They included her wedding and engagement rings, and two other pieces with rare stones. She received a call the next day from the jeweller, telling her the rings had been stolen from a person travelling on a Dublin Bus. She was told a pensioner had been entrusted to take the jewellery to another premises to be cleaned by a specialist and used a bus to get there. Gardaí were told the alleged robbery took place on the pensioner's return journey. This is not the first time Empress Fine Jewels has been before the courts The customer said she had no idea that her rings were to leave the premises for cleaning. She said she was 'flabbergasted' that the items would be taken elsewhere, and also that they would be transported on a bus by a pensioner, who appeared frail, given his use of a walking aid. Gardaí have obtained CCTV of the man on the bus and later took a preliminary statement from him. The customer has also given gardaí a formal statement. The investigation remains open, but there have been no arrests and no significant developments in terms of recovering the missing rings. This is not the first time Empress Fine Jewels has been before the courts. Last year, an agreement was reached to resolve a High Court row between the business and an Italian jewellery distributor over €500,000 worth of jewels. World Diamond Group (WDG) sued Shuwan Li and Empress Fine Jewels. Among the claims were that Shuwan Li made an alleged threat to 'put people in the river' in the midst of the fallout between the diamond sellers.
Sunday World
07-07-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Woman who bought €3,000 emerald and ring from Dublin jeweller discovers it's a fake
Independent goldsmith inspected ring bought from Shuwan Li's Empress Fine Jewels off Dublin's Grafton Street A customer of a Dublin-based jeweller who has filed for bankruptcy is 'disappointed but not surprised' to learn that a €3,000 emerald and diamond ring she purchased contains fake gemstones. Shuwan Li, who ran Empress Fine Jewels on Johnson's Court off Grafton Street, was being pursued for debts of €1.5m when she went bankrupt in March. The Sunday World recently revealed that another customer took legal action against Empress Fine Jewels, which was ordered to pay her nearly €35,000, after diamond rings she entrusted to the store were reported stolen while being taken by a pensioner on a bus to another location to be cleaned. In the aftermath of publicity surrounding this case, another woman decided to have her triple diamond emerald cluster ring — which she bought from the jewellery shop in December 2023 — tested. An independent valuer examined the ring using specialist technology and has in recent days confirmed the woman's suspicions that the stones are fake. This customer, who does not wish to be identified, said she visited a number of jewellers in search of an emerald ring before attending Empress Fine Jewels in mid-December 2023. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is 'The initial price I was quoted was €4,200 but I got the price down to €3,000. That was the red flag I didn't see. As they saying goes, 'if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is,'' she said. The woman said she did not expect to be sold fake emeralds from the jewellery shop on Johnson's Court, near more established jewellers in the Grafton Street area. She said she was provided with a valuation report from Empress Fine Jewels upon purchase, which stated that the '18ct gold triple diamond emerald cluster ring' had a 'market value' of €4,200. This document, as well as the woman's €3,000 invoice, have been seen by this newspaper. However, in recent weeks, the woman decided to have her emerald and diamond ring tested by a Dublin valuer to establish the authenticity of the gemstones. The independent goldsmith has now confirmed that the gemstones are not emeralds and the diamonds are also fake. Shuwan Li Sources familiar with the case say it is likely that the ring is in fact only worth a couple of hundred euro. The customer has not made a complaint to An Garda Síochána. She feels it 'might not be worthwhile' as it would be highly unlikely she would get her money back given that Ms Li has filed for bankruptcy. When she bought the piece of jewellery, the ring needed to be resized, so it took a few weeks for her to receive it. 'When I did get it, I always felt it wasn't the same ring I had chosen in the shop. It was too shiny. I always had concerns about it and now it is confirmed that it is fake. It was a wicked thing to happen but at the same time, there are far worse things going on in the world,' she said. 'You live and learn. I was duped. I had decided to treat myself and I wanted an emerald ring. Of course, I wish it didn't happen. I will probably still wear it on the odd occasion. I've accepted that it is fake and decided to just move on, because there's nothing that can be done now. 'I just hope it hasn't happened to too many other people and I would like people to be aware,' she added. An independent valuer confirmed the ring's emeralds and diamonds were not real Efforts were made to contact Ms Li for comment. Court filings show Ms Li had just €100 in cash and €21.88 in her bank account when she sought to have her €1.5m debts wiped out. Her only personal assets were a €3,000 engagement ring and a €900 wedding ring. The Sunday World reported in recent weeks that another Dublin woman obtained a judgment of almost €35,000 against Empress Fine Jewels and Ms Li earlier this year after four rings she left in for cleaning were reportedly stolen. She took a civil case against the business and a Circuit Court judgment seen by this newspaper ordered that Shuwan Li, trading as Empress Fine Jewels and Empress Fine Jewels Ltd, reimburse her €34,180. However, court documents also reveal that Ms Li filed for bankruptcy on March 3 this year, so the woman who sued her is unlikely to be compensated. Shuwan Li Mooney ran a jewellery shop in Dublin city centre On May 8, 2024, the woman left four rings worth around €35,000 into the store to be cleaned. They included her wedding and engagement rings, and two other pieces with rare stones. She received a call the next day from the jeweller, telling her the rings had been stolen from a person travelling on a Dublin Bus. She was told a pensioner had been entrusted to take the jewellery to another premises to be cleaned by a specialist and used a bus to get there. Gardaí were told the alleged robbery took place on the pensioner's return journey. This is not the first time Empress Fine Jewels has been before the courts The customer said she had no idea that her rings were to leave the premises for cleaning. She said she was 'flabbergasted' that the items would be taken elsewhere, and also that they would be transported on a bus by a pensioner, who appeared frail, given his use of a walking aid. Gardaí have obtained CCTV of the man on the bus and later took a preliminary statement from him. The customer has also given gardaí a formal statement. The investigation remains open, but there have been no arrests and no significant developments in terms of recovering the missing rings. This is not the first time Empress Fine Jewels has been before the courts. Last year, an agreement was reached to resolve a High Court row between the business and an Italian jewellery distributor over €500,000 worth of jewels. World Diamond Group (WDG) sued Shuwan Li and Empress Fine Jewels. Among the claims were that Shuwan Li made an alleged threat to 'put people in the river' in the midst of the fallout between the diamond sellers.
Sunday World
05-07-2025
- Sunday World
Priest slams House of Prayer leader Christina Gallagher as ‘a total charlatan'
Priest speaks out after our latest House of Prayer exposé The Sunday World revealed in recent weeks how Gallagher — who founded the House of Prayer on Achill, Co. Mayo, which has received millions in donations from followers over the years — loved playing slot machines in casinos. We confronted her at Dr Quirkey's in Phibsborough in Dublin while she was playing the slots, with other customers claiming they had seen her with wads of €50 notes in her hands which she pumped in the machines. They claimed she had been a regular visitor for over a year and had won large amounts on occasions. Gallagher playing the slots Gallagher told the Sunday World that she didn't visit casinos often and denied she was using money donated to the House of Prayer for gambling before she left the casino in a BMW 7 Series with her confidant and former House of Prayer secretary Noel Guinan. Cavan-based priest Fr Oliver O'Reilly, who counselled parishioners whose elderly relatives had donated large sums to the House of Prayer, said the Catholic Church made a number of mistakes in dealing with Gallagher over the years but should speak out against her. Read more 'I think she is a total charlatan and total fake,' Fr O'Reilly, told the Sunday World . 'I guarantee to you 90 per cent plus of all priests and bishops in Ireland would say the same thing.' He said any claims that a lot of clergy support Christina Gallagher were untrue. 'That's complete hogwash. She makes up her own truth. It's totally bizarre.' Gallagher, who claims to speak directly with Jesus and the Virgin Mary, has a devoted following and people have donated millions to the House of Prayer over the years. Our front page last week Some have sought their money back after learning of her lavish lifestyle including living in various mansions with facilities including swimming pools, bars and jacuzzis. Fr O'Reilly said he had dealt with parishioners over the years whose family members donated large sums to Gallagher. One involved an elderly lady with dementia who had donated a lot before her death. 'When she started going into dementia she started going to house of prayer with friends. She was a very wealthy woman but had imparted quite a bit of money and I suggested to the family I would go to the guards and they said 'please don't'. 'I asked if they'd go to the guards themselves but they said they wouldn't. They were good business people and said 'what's gone is gone'. Fr Oliver O'Reilly 'I have to say, I was shocked how this vulnerable woman in old age was taken advantage of and it made me angry.' He said it was 'shocking' that the House of Prayer sells a picture of Mary for €250 saying it offers protection. 'That does immense damage. There are a lot of good people who are able to differentiate but there are an awful lot of vulnerable people who wouldn't be able to differentiate between scams and what is authentic.'
Sunday World
23-06-2025
- Sunday World
Gardaí catch Martin 'The Viper' Foley and pals removing sign from asylum-seeker centre
When confronted by gardaí outside the centre, the three men were taking down a sign from the front gate Martin 'The Viper' Foley and two senior criminal associates have been detected by gardaí removing a sign outside a Dublin accommodation centre earmarked for asylum seekers. The veteran criminal (74) was recently detected outside a location on the Belgard Road in Tallaght, which is to be turned into an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre for immigrants. The Sunday World understands that Foley, and another man who in his 50s and from West Dublin, were wearing 'Viper Debt Recovery' T-shirts, which is the name of the debt-collection agency founded by Foley several years ago. The man with Foley is suspected by Gardaí of having ties to organised criminals. Paul Rice The third man present at the Belgard Road address was notorious gangland figure Paul Rice (56), also from Tallaght. Rice has acted as an enforcer and debt collector for the Kinahan Cartel. He is no stranger to violence and was jailed for 10 years in 1995 after pleading guilty to the robbery of a bank in which shots were fired. When confronted by gardaí outside the centre, the three men were taking down a sign from the front gate. The trio told officers that they were removing a 'Beware of Dogs' sign belonging to them. Rice then proceeded to inform gardaí that a friend of his had the 'security contract' on the building while he supplied the guard dogs. When informed by gardaí that the site was due to become an IPAS centre, they left, saying they 'didn't want to be associated' with the asylum-seeker centre. It is understood that Rice and the other Tallaght man present became very vocal to gardaí about their 'anti-immigration' views. Foley kept 'relatively quiet' in comparison and was easier to deal with during the interaction with officers, it is understood. The trio then left the scene in a rented car, driven by Rice. They are not under investigation for any criminality linked to this interaction with gardaí. Martin Foley was with Paul Rice News in 90 Seconds - Monday June 23 Gardaí are aware of some anti- immigration sentiment circulating about the proposed new immigration centre for asylum-seekers and potential protests planned. This is not the first time that well-known criminals have been spotted in the vicinity of an IPAS centre or expressing anti-immigration views. In February 2023, gangland criminal Wayne Bradley called for 'weapons' to be left at home as he joined an anti-migrant protest that took place in Finglas. Bradley, who was a close associate of slain gang boss Eamon 'The Don' Dunne, posted a series of messages on his Facebook account ahead of the demonstration. He warned those attending a planned protest in his native Finglas not to bring weapons as it 'will ruin what we started'. Also in 2023, English far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson was photographed posing with a convicted heroin dealer and brother of gang boss Derek 'Dee Dee' O'Driscoll. Robinson posed with Anthony 'Harpo' O'Driscoll, of Croftwood Park in Ballyfermot, Dublin, who has criminal convictions including for heroin dealing. In March of this year, a court heard that the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) would be selling Martin 'The Viper' Foley's home in 18 months' time unless he comes up with almost €1 million to pay off outstanding tax debts. Judge Fiona O'Sullivan refused an application to allow the family remain in the house for another eight years until his daughter turns 18. Neither Foley nor his wife were Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the judgment on March 10. Cab assessed Foley as owing €916,960.12 in unpaid taxes from 1993 to 2000, a figure which has since increased due to interest and penalties. The case has been going on for more than ten years. The veteran criminal has survived multiple gangland shootings and at one stage even applied to join the Garda Reserves. Foley has more than 40 convictions, including for assault, robbery and possession of weapons. He was part of the criminal gang led by Martin Cahill, who was known as 'The General'.
Sunday World
20-06-2025
- Sunday World
Van ram man jailed for punching driver and smashing her partner's car vows to clear name
Attacker claimed someone slashed tyres and scraped vehicle before he was beaten by woman's partner and another man after vicious assault A man jailed for repeatedly punching 'Ulster's angriest driver' and ramming her partner's car through a fence has vowed to clear his name. Paul Dunstan was pictured arriving at Downpatrick courthouse on Friday where he launched his appeal against his conviction and seven-month jail sentence for assaulting his former neighbour Tammy Sparkes. Sparkes was dubbed the country's angriest driver earlier this year when she appeared in court to face her THIRD shocking road rage attack – none of which had anything to do with Mr Dunstan. Those hat-trick of separate incidents saw the 29-year-old mum tear clumps of hair from a terrified woman, punch a police officer, repeatedly kick-a-car causing almost £2,000 worth of damage and grab a neighbour by the hair while driving her car – dragging the woman along. Paul Dunstan News in 90 Seconds - June 20th But last month she gave evidence as the victim of an attack by Paul Dunstan of Drumglass Avenue in Bangor after the 43-year-old went berserk after someone slashed the tyres of his van and scraped the side of the £40,000 vehicle. The pair lived beside each other for three years in Loverock Close in Bangor and had not got on well together. Dunstan, who had 17 previous convictions, claimed he reacted after discovering someone had stabbed his tyres and keyed his car – something Tammy Sparkes and Stephen Elliott say had nothing to do with them. Footage was shown to the judge at Ards Magistrates' Court which showed Dunstan, who ironically runs a car body repair business, repeatedly ramming Stephen Elliott's Peugeot 208 car – forcing it back over 30 yards through a corrugated iron fence and into the back garden of another house. CCTV captures the altercation between Paul Dunstan, Stephen Elliott and Tammy Sparkes CCTV footage CCTV footage Dunstan is seen in an altercation seconds later with Tammy Sparkes who went over to the van to remonstrate with him. During the tussle he's seen swinging and connecting with several punches on Sparkes. Her partner Stephen Elliott, who owned the car rammed by Dunstan, then intervenes and is seen repeatedly punching Dunstan in what he told the court was an act of self-defence and sticking up for his partner. The Sunday World obtained the full video footage, taken by a neighbour across the road, which Mr Dunstan believes shows he was not the only person who should have been in court. 'Look, I know what I did was very wrong,' said Paul Dunstan on the steps of Downpatrick Court. 'I shouldn't have rammed the car like that but I was under major stress at the time because both my parents had been in and out of hospital and I needed the van for work and to go to hospital. 'When I discovered someone had slashed my tyres and scraped the van – causing thousands of pounds of damage – I lost it. 'But what happened afterwards was not all one-sided. I never wanted a fight. Tammy grabbed me out of the van and had me by the throat. I couldn't get free. I was swinging to get free. I know that part of the video didn't look good but there's context to it all. I'm not a violent person.' He says he accepts he was guilty of careless driving but say he was beaten excessively before the police were even called. 'Watch the video – Stephen Elliott punches me repeatedly until I hit the pavement. I'm knocked unconscious and then both of the them continue to kick and punch me. I had no idea what was going on. I'm lying there for ages. 'Watch the video – Tammy comes back and can be seen taking photos of me lying there on her phone then she starts hitting me with her phone.' Paul Dunstan And the video shows two more males, who appear to arrive from the back garden Dunstan has just deposited Beattie's car, who remonstrate with a prone Dunstan. One of these men is then seen delivering a sickening kick to the head of Mr Dunstan who is still lying on the ground. 'There was no need for that level of violence against me. The man who kicked me in the head – I have no idea who he was – wasn't even arrested even though I made a statement to the police,' says Paul Dunstan. 'I have a new legal team and I want the judge to see all of the video. I feel I was discriminated against by the PSNI and the PPS. 'When I was first arrested the police told me they had seen the video and they said it looked like I was the victim in this. I made statements but never heard anything back. 'All I'm saying is I shouldn't have been the only one standing in court. That's why I am going to try and get this overturned.' Speaking to the Sunday World last month, Tammy Sparkes said: 'It was around 9.30pm when I heard all this revving and screeching and went out to see Paul Dunstan reversing his big van into Stephen's car over and over again. 'He just kept going, the car alarm was going off, and the car was getting forced backwards towards this metal fence. 'He was out of his mind. When I went out he got out of his van he just sat down on the pavement and then he got up and started punching me repeatedly in the head. It was really scary. 'I had a black eye and a concussion as well as cuts and bruises.' Stephen Elliott told this paper he admitted he punched Dunstan when he came out and saw him attacking Tammy. 'I decked him, of course I did, what else could I do? But then some people came from over the fence from when he'd rammed my car into and they gave him a bad doing.' The video footage shows only one other man attack Dunstan – the thug who kicked him in the head while he was already on the ground. Dunstan had contested a charge of dangerous driving but his lawyer said the defendant was admitting careless driving. He was convicted at an earlier court sitting of charges of dangerous diving, assault, and failing to provide a breath sample. Judge Magill said at a previous hearing, 'It is obvious that he (Dunstan) launched a determined assault upon the woman. He struck her multiple times with both fists to her head and face'. The judge said it was 'ludicrous' for the defendant to claim the driving had been careless driving as it was 'obviously dangerous driving' and convicted him of the charges. A defence barrister said the defendant runs a car body repair shop and the loss of his licence would impact on the business. She said the defendant said his vehicle had been 'attacked' and he reacted. He had 'acted in self-defence'. Judge Magill said it had been 'utterly appalling behaviour'. He jailed Dunstan for seven months and banned him from driving for two years as well as issuing a two-year restraining order before releasing him on bail so he could appeal both conviction and sentence. On Friday at Downpatrick County Court Paul Dunstan had his appeal adjourned until October 17th for contest. Tammy Sparkes with her partner Stephen Elliott speaking to reporter Steven Moore In March Tammy Sparkes was handed a three-month sentence, suspended for two years, as District Judge Peter Magill said her behaviour was 'utterly unacceptable' but spared her jail because of her child. He gave her a year to compensate her latest victim, whose car cost £1,868 to fix, warning that if she did not make a significant hole in the debt, she would go to jail. Last year, in an unrelated attack, she entered guilty pleas to six offences arising from a minor shunt including careless driving, causing actual bodily harm, causing criminal damage, using disorderly behaviour, assaulting a police officer and breaching a suspended jail sentence. The driver of a Jaguar, which Sparkes had driven into, told police how she pulled up at the junction but was struck by Sparkes' Audi. When they got out to swap insurance details, Sparkes 'began assaulting her by grabbing her by the hair and pulling out clumps of hair'. 'Officers at the scene looked down and could see a large clump of hair lying on the ground,' the court heard, adding that at the time Sparkes was subject to a suspended sentence imposed in a different court but for a similar offence. In July 2022 at Newtownards Magistrates Court, Sparkes was handed a four-month prison sentence suspended for three years along with a £400 compensation order after she entered guilty pleas to careless driving and causing actual bodily harm to a woman on May 6, 2021.
