Kevin Halligen:
 Madeleine McCann parents may sue fraudster accused of £300,000 fund con
18 May 2013
Mirror

It is understood that Kate and Gerry McCann are now considering suing Halligen for allegedly fleecing their fund

A dodgy “detective” accused of conning £300,000 from the Madeleine McCann fund is being kicked out of the US – and could now face justice in Britain.

Kevin Halligen was extradited to America five months ago over claims he cheated former business partners out of £1.3million.

Yesterday the 51-year-old admitted wire fraud in a deal with prosecutors in Washington DC.

He will be freed from jail next month, due to time he has already served, then deported.

It is understood that Kate and Gerry McCann are now considering suing Halligen for allegedly fleecing their fund.

He could also be arrested if the couple make a formal complaint.

In 2008, Halligen’s company Oakley International signed a £500,000 deal to help find missing Madeleine.

But the Surrey-based Irishman’s contract was terminated early without full payment after fund organisers decided he had failed to fulfil the agreement.

He was then arrested in Oxford in November 2009 after fleeing Washington when the US government began seeking an indictment over the wire fraud.

A source said: “Halligen would con his own grandmother he is that ruthless.

"The fact he gave the McCanns false hope and took so much money is unforgivable.”

In Washington federal court yesterday Halligen admitted persuading the Dutch company Trafigura to send £1.3million to his personal account in 2006.

Halligen told the court he bought a luxury six-bedroom house with some of the money.

It was supposed to be used to help free two of the company’s executives who were being held in the Ivory Coast on charges of dumping toxic waste.

Halligen will be sentenced on June 27 and, under the deal, freed and deported.