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