Led off a plane in handcuffs, a suspected fraudster arrives back in the North East after four years on the run.

Kole Lulgjuraj arrived at Newcastle International Airport in handcuffs on Friday morning following his arrest in the US.

The 50-year-old former financial advisor is accused of swindling elderly people out of their life savings - to the tune of around £1m - to fund a luxury lifestyle before fleeing the country in 2012.

He was arrested by the FBI in Indianapolis earlier this year after a long investigation by officers from Durham Constabulary.

Lulgjuraj, who is originally from Montenegro but used to live in Darlington, was interviewed by officers in 2012 as part of an investigation into his business dealings, but fled the country after he was released on bail.

Police launched Operation Toll Gate to find Lulgjuraj and investigations showed that he had fled to the USA.

In January this year he was arrested by the FBI in Indianapolis after he started work at a bank.

A co-worker carried out an internet search of Lulgjuraj’s name and a newspaper article was found which showed he was wanted by police.

Officers from Durham travelled to Indiana to bring Lulgjuraj back to the UK. He arrived at Newcastle on a flight from Heathrow at 10.40am on Friday morning.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman confirmed that Lulgjuraj had been charged with six counts of theft and one of fraud.

He is due to appear before Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.