€2.9m Lib Dem donation came from stolen fortune, court told

A bogus bond dealer used a fortune stolen from a hapless investor to donate a record £2.4m (€2.9m) to the English Liberal Democratic party, a court heard today.

Michael Brown, whose apparent political largesse was designed to “create the impression he was a well-connected man”, used millions more plundered cash to fund an “extravagant lifestyle,” meet business expenses and keep other investors happy with “pretend” returns, it was claimed.