Man wanted in US over ‘£1m scam’ allowed Supreme Court appeal

James Craig, from Stranraer, is wanted in the US for allegedly masterminding a shares scam.

A man battling against extradition to the US over his alleged involvement in a £1m scam has been allowed to take his bid to stay in Scotland to the UK’s highest court.

James Craig, from Stranraer, is wanted stateside over claims he was the mastermind behind a shares scam in 2013.

The 66-year-old, who is accused of using social media to distort share prices of targeted firms, will now have his case heard at the UK Supreme Court.

It is alleged that, although he himself only benefited slightly from the scheme, shareholders in the companies targeted lost a total of £1,198,808.

An extradition enforcement to take Craig to the USA to face the accusations in court was granted in 2017.

In June of this year the Dunragit man lost another legal battle to halt the process.

But a hearing in August decided that the case should now be heard at the Supreme Court after lawyers argued that extradition would be a breach of his human rights.

A spokesman for the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service confirmed that the hearing took place on Tuesday August 25.

He said: “Permission to appeal to the Supreme Court was allowed on the Article 8 matter only.”

 Article 8 takes in the right to a private and family life without government interference.

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