Stacy Taylor stands accused in a Kentucky court of using a fake Irish passport under the name David Stafford, and allegedly swindling €848,000 to €1.7m from investors by promising high returns through fraudulent companies.
Taylor, indicted in 2023 in the US, faces up to 20 years in prison and is battling a detention order, which a Kentucky judge refused to revoke in September 2025 due to flight risk concerns.
US Customs and Border Protection revealed Taylor used the fake passport for international travel, including trips from Chicago to Germany and Spain in 2009, though he denies these claims.
The Department of Foreign Affairs prioritises passport integrity, referring suspected fraud cases to An Garda Síochána for investigation and potential prosecution.
Taylor’s history includes posing as a Bitcoinbnaire and serving as a director of UK-based Legacy Benefit Holdings from 2018 to 2020, listed as Irish in company filings.
The Kentucky judge shared: “The circumstances surrounding the offence are serious because Taylor allegedly used a falsified passport to carry out the fraud.”
A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson shared: “The integrity of the Irish passport is a foremost priority, with significant investment in fraud detection and prevention.”
US Customs and Border Protection official shared: “Taylor’s use of the fake Irish passport under the David Stafford name facilitated international travel for fraudulent purposes.”
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