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An Irishman whose
firm helped in the search for missing
Madeline McCann is waiting to hear
if he's to be extradited to the US for an alleged $2.1m fraud.
Oakley International's
Kevin Halligen was employed by
Kate and Gerry
McCann in 2008 to look for their daughter after she went missing from an
apartment in Portugal's Algarve.
The company, which is
based in Washington, was paid around £300,000 for its services over a
six-month period.
But it later emerged
the 48-year-old businessman was wanted in America by prosecutors
accusing him of attempting to defraud a London law firm of the
equivalent of £1.32m.
They claim money
taken from Dutch company Trafigura, as part of a deal to secure the
release of executives under arrest in the Ivory Coast, was instead spent
on purchases including a mansion and a present for Mr Halligen's
girlfriend.
He was arrested on
November 24 of last year at an Oxford hotel, where he had been staying
under an assumed name, and his assets were frozen.
Following Wednesday's
hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Mr Halligen
was remanded in custody to await the decision of Home Secretary Theresa
May.
© Press Association |
