Fugitive Lib Dem Donor Brown Extradited To UK

Fugitive multimillionaire fraudster and Liberal Democrat donor Michael Brown is being extradited to the UK from the Dominican Republic.

Authorities in the Caribbean state said Brown was being flown to Spain where he was due to be turned over to the British authorities.

He has been detained in the tourist town of Punta Cana since January after living on the island under the name of Darren Nally.

Brown, who fled the UK to the Caribbean in 2008 after being convicted of fraud at Southwark Crown Court, was sentenced in his absence to seven years in jail.

He donated around £2.4m to the Lib Dems ahead of the 2005 general election - its largest donation to date.

The fraudster swindled more than £36m from people around the world by claiming to be anything from an international bond dealer to the son of a lord with royal connections.

Among his victims was former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards, who lost nearly £8m to the conman.

Brown's conviction prompted calls for the Lib Dems to give back the money he had donated to their election campaign - but the party refused.

Dominican police said Brown was also charged with defrauding people in Punta Cana, but the alleged victims dropped their complaints so he could be extradited.

An Electoral Commission inquiry in 2009 found the Lib Dems accepted the fraudster's donation in good faith and cleared the party of all wrongdoing.