US fugitive lived as London Hassidic Jew

A MAN on the run from the US for 11 years faces extradition after hiding among a Hassidic Jewish community in London since 1999.

Avrum David Friesel, 56, is a member of the strictly religious, American-based Skver community.

He skipped bail and fled to London almost 10 years ago. He married a widow with eight children and had been lecturing on the Jewish scriptures before his arrest last April at his home in Stamford Hill.

City of Westminster magistrates are due to rule on his extradition on 20 January.

He and six other men were accused of swindling millions of dollars from federal education and anti-poverty programmes.

He is alleged to have created a phoney school in New York state. Five of the men served prison terms.

His barrister, Jonathan Goldberg, QC, said they would fight the case " to the House of Lords, if necessary".