A NEW documentary tells the shocking story of a former nanny who conned families across Britain and Ireland for over a decade.
Serial fraudster Samantha Cookes is currently serving time in an Irish jail after being convicted of theft and social welfare fraud earlier this year at Tralee Court.
The 36-year-old, who is originally from Gloucester in England, lived at homes across Co. Kerry for ten years during which time she pretended she had Huntington’s disease in order to make fraudulent claims for welfare payments.
During her court hearing it was revealed that she had a string of convictions for similar offences across Britain and Ireland which stretched back over a decade.
RTÉ’s Bad Nanny exposes Cookes’ cons through the first-hand testimony of her victims, many who are speaking our for the first time.
The two part series reveals the many aliases used by Cookes, with episode one introducing the audience to one of her most brazen personas – Carrie Jade Williams, a supposedly terminally ill, award-winning author.
“From this shocking disguise, the documentary traces back through the years to uncover how Samantha’s cons became increasingly audacious, building up to her role as a “nanny” who was hiding a troubling secret,” an RTÉ spokesperson explained.
“The documentary further shows how she gained the trust of families, only to betray them in devastating ways,” they added.
In the second part of the series the spotlight turns to the vulnerable families left emotionally shattered by Cookes’ deceit.
“The shocking story of Samantha Cookes and her long list of scams and aliases is an intriguing story that needs to be told on screen,” Gráinne McAleer, Head of Documentaries and Series at RTÉ, said.
“The two-part documentary series lays out this timeline of deceit brilliantly and captures the collective power of ordinary people.”
She added: “From the TikTok sleuths to the victims of Samantha’s scams that came together to expose her story, Bad Nanny is a story of the power of ordinary people working together.
“It is also cautionary tale for anyone hiring someone to look after their nearest and dearest.”
Bad Nanny, which has been co-produced for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland, airs on Monday, May 12 at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.