A Dutch property trader who fled to Dubai 10 years ago after facing questions in the Netherlands about bankruptcy fraud has been found guilty in absentia and given a four year jail term.

Roger Lips was declared bankrupt in 2013 with debts of over €100m. A number of his companies also went bust and the official receivers said at the time he failed to cooperate with the bankruptcy and had hidden many of his assets from creditors.

He fled the country with his wife and five children in 2014 after the receivers threatened to have him held in contempt of court for failing to cooperate.

Lips’ property empire included around 1,000 homes, The Wall shopping centre on the A2 motorway near Utrecht and the Brinkmanpassage shopping centre in Haarlem, which both flopped.

The Netherlands has an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates. According to the Volkskrant, an extradition request for Lips and his wife, who was given an 18 month jail term, has been made.