Irish names linked to thousands in unclaimed funds in California
Many Irish citizens and emigrants who spent time in California may have unknowingly left behind significant amounts of money — and now, relatives in Ireland could be entitled to claim it.
The State of California currently holds billions in unclaimed property, including forgotten bank accounts, uncashed cheques, and the contents of abandoned safety deposit boxes. If a person died intestate (without a will), the state may be holding their estate in safekeeping — and family members back home could have a legitimate claim.
Australian nurse Rich Williams is on a mission to reunite people across the globe with lost or forgotten funds held by governments. As a community service project, he's currently working to return over $1 billion in unclaimed assets to their rightful owners — at no cost.
“I see it as correcting a quiet injustice,” says Williams. “These are hard-earned funds sitting idle, often because the rightful heirs don’t even know they exist.”
From his recent research, Williams uncovered multiple cases linked to Irish addresses. Here is a sample of names with corresponding unclaimed amounts in California:
- Rev. Michael A. Walsh – Lyrattin, Ireland – $21,823.33
- Cornelius G. Ryan – Kinnitty Castle, Birr – $3,123.97
- Morgan Sheehy – Magazine Road, Cork City – $1,364.98
- Mary Ryan – Rosario, North Circular Road – $2,350.58
- Moran Ronan – Ashurst, College Road, Kilkenny – $2,906.17
- Desmond Joseph & Darren Paul Mullan – Tattyreagh Road, Tyrone – $1,058.35
- Edward J. Kehoe – County Cork – $1,689.79
- Jerry Lane – Esker Meadow Court – $3,281.43
- Rose Elizabeth Duddy – Clon Road, Northern Ireland – $19,632.81 and $2,385.16
- Ann & Michael John Brennan – Portan House, Clonee – $2,850.00
In addition, several safe-deposit boxes containing unknown valuables are also tied to Irish names:
- Mary Sweeney – Drimadart, Ireland
- John McKee – Moorfield House, North Ireland
- Rita & Thomas Duddy – Rockbarton Park, Ireland
Irish families with a history of emigration to the United States — particularly to California — are encouraged to search the state’s official unclaimed property database, which is free and accessible to the public.
Rich Williams (the Free Billion Dollar Man) continues to build international awareness of the issue through both grassroots outreach and storytelling. His ultimate hope? That stories like these inspire a global movement to reconnect people with what's rightfully theirs.