Accountant Philip de Figueiredo

JERSEY is in danger of advertising itself as a safe haven for tax evaders, according to a lawyer in an extradition hearing.

On the second day of Philip Eric de Figueiredo’s extradition hearing on Friday, Crown Advocate Matthew Jowitt rejected claims made by the defendant’s lawyer that sending the 56-year-old to Australia would send shock-waves through the finance industry.

He said that if the authorities choose not to extradite the accountant to face charges of fraud and money laundering, the Island would look like a ‘safe haven for tax evaders’.

The Australian government wants to extradite Mr de Figueiredo, of St Martin, on charges related to fraud, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

On Friday, before Assistant Magistrate Bridget Shaw, Advocate Jowitt rejected Advocate Michael O’Connell’s argument that extraditing Mr de Figueiredo would ‘send shock waves reverberating through the finance industry’.

Mrs Shaw remanded Mr de Figueiredo on bail withconditions. She will deliver her judgment on the legal aspects discussed over the two-day extradition hearing on Friday.