The alleged serial fraudster Samantha Cookes may have her case sent forward to a higher court within the next two weeks.
35-year-old Ms Cookes, of no fixed abode, faces a total of 57 charges alleging theft, deception, and fraud.
The charges allege she defrauded tens of thousands of euro from the state over a four-year period.
Ms Cookes has previously been known by several different aliases during her time in Kerry, including Jade O’Sullivan in Tralee and Carrie Jade Williams when she posed as a disability activist in Cahersiveen.
Between February 2020 and the end of 2021, she is accused of dishonestly, by deception, inducing the Department of Social Protection to make supplementary welfare allowance payments of almost €18,000 at the office in Tralee.
In the same time period, she’s accused of stealing monthly supplementary welfare allowance payments of €201 per month.
Then, from the second half of 2021 up to her arrest in July this year, Ms Cookes is accused of dishonestly, by deception, inducing the Department to make disability allowance payments to the value of over €40,000.
Over that time, she’s also accused of stealing disability allowance payments of €289.50 every month.
She separately faces two sample charges of fraud to the value of €464.
At Tralee District Court this week, Ms Cookes spoke to confirm her name, and Sergeant Chris Manton said he hopes to have the book of evidence against her ready in two weeks.
Once the book of evidence is served on Ms Cookes, her case will be sent forward to a higher court, either for her to stand trial or on a guilty plea.
Ms Cookes is due to appear again in Tralee District Court on 6th November by video link, but she will appear in person if the book of evidence is ready on that date.
She was remanded in continuing custody at Limerick women’s prison to that date.
