Michael Lynn left Ireland and debts amounting to £70 million five years ago, and travelled in Europe and the US before he was granted a Brazilian visa in 2012, thanks to fathering a child who was born there. Back in his native land, he faces 'dozens of fraud-related charges', according to The Scotsman, 'after leaving behind scores of furious investors'. The investors had been seeking to buy property in Portugal, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary through a company he set up.

Extradition changes

He may have felt safe in Brazil as there has been no extradition treaty with Ireland. However, the Department of Justice in Ireland has just announced that negotiations are about to start between Ireland and Brazil. A statement from the department said: 'They have also agreed that, pending the conclusion of the extradition treaty, they would treat each other’s requests for extradition on the basis of reciprocity.'

The Law Society in Dublin has been having discussions with a Brazilian law firm with the aim of suing him in Brazil where he had set up a new property company.