Ex-solicitor Michael Lynn to be extradited to Ireland

Former Irish solicitor Michael Lynn will be extradited to Ireland to face allegations of mortgage fraud following a ruling by the Supreme Federal Court in Brazil.

Presiding judge Marco Aurélio yesterday reaffirmed a previous ruling in December 2014 that said Mr Lynn should be returned to Ireland, where he failed to attend a hearing at the High Court in Dublin.

The 2014 decision was delayed as Mr Lynn’s legal team had sought “clarification” of the judgment, focussing on a mistake in recording the date of Mr Lynn’s arrest.

However, Judge Aurélio and two others dismissed the defence’s arguments. The decision is final and Mr Lynn has no further legal recourse to challenge it.

Ireland and Brazil do not have a formal extradition treaty but a deal has been found in this case. It is believed that Mr Lynn could be extradited within weeks.

Allegations against Mr Lynn emerged after he was struck off by the Law Society of Ireland in October 2007.

The Society found he had used money belonging to clients for personal expenses and raised €80 million by securing multiple mortgages on the same properties.

He failed to attend a High Court ruling in 2007 and is believed to have stayed in a number of European countries before eventually securing permanent residence in Brazil.

Mr Lynn was arrested by Brazilian federal police in August 2013 and has been fighting extradition ever since.