Bahamas court to decide on deporting Irish passport holder to United States

A COURT in the Bahamas will decide on May 19 whether to deport an Irish passport holder to the US on fraud charges.

US authorities allege Viktor Kozeny, a Czech-born businessman who holds an Irish passport, was involved in a €150 million fraud and bribery scam.

The US has brought charges against Mr Kozeny, alleging he bribed officials of the Azeri government in a bid to gain control of the state-owned oil company.

Mr Kozeny, who is also wanted in the Czech Republic on similar charges, denies any wrongdoing. He is fighting the extradition order and has been in prison in Nassua since October.

He became an Irish passport hold in the late 1990s under the “passports for investment” scheme.

Czech authorities are also seeking his deportation, alleging he was involved in a plot to defraud more than €330m in another privatisation scam.

He has lived in the Bahamas since the early 1990s in a €14m mansion.