Pedophile and former Irish Olympic swimming coach faces U.S. deportation

George Gibney, 63, the alleged child abuser and former Olympic Irish swimming coach now living in Florida, is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security after a complaint was lodged that he lied on his immigration application to gain entry to the U.S.

Gibney, who may now face deportation, was the Irish national swimming coach from 1984 to 1991 and was later charged with 17 counts of sexual abuse against girls and boy.
However a judicial review in 1994 prevented the case from proceeding because of the time that had elapsed between the incidents and their reporting.

Gibney left Ireland after avoiding prosecution and spent time in Scotland before moving to the United States in the late 1990’s on a Green Card. He now lives in Orange City, Florida under the name of Jon Gibney.

His time in the U.S. may be coming to an end, however. A section on one of the immigration forms for applicants seeking entry to the U.S. asks whether they have ever been charged with a criminal offence. If the applicant ticks yes, they are not permitted entry.

U.S. law also denies entry to applicants convicted of, and those who admit having committed, a crime involving “moral turpitude,” a legal concept that refers to “conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals.”

Evin Daly, president of One Child International, a U.S. based charity established to prevent child abuse, made the complaint to the Department of Homeland Security, alerting them that Gibney had lied on his immigration forms.

Daly told the press this week that he was now optimistic that the former swimming coach would face deportation. “Gibney has entered the country illegally. He lied on his application form and I can't see why the immigration authorities will not act," Daly said.

In February, the residents living in his district received a flyer about the 1994 Irish court case, including the allegations of serious child abuse made against him by swimmers he had previously coached.

Gibney had been associated with the local Church of the Annunciation, however they cut ties with him when they learned of the allegations made against him and they said he was no longer permitted to volunteer with them.

Gibney had also been a frequent participant in another Catholic organization, the Knights of Columbanus, however they too no longer permit him to work there.

In the U.S. Gibney has had several jobs, mostly in accounting, but it is not known where he is currently employed.