Leyton Orient owner Francesco Becchetti will strongly contest extradition to Albania for charges over allegations of fraud and money laundering.

An arrest warrant was issued in Albania in June and a request was late received for Becchetti to be extradited.

After a request from the Metropolitan Police Becchetti made himself available on October 26 and has handed over his travel documents.

A procedural hearing will take place in London on December 7 where a time-line will be agreed with the Crown Prosecution Service to look into the Albanian request. A substantive hearing will not take place until next year.

A statement released on behalf of Becchetti said: “Certainly no decision has been made regarding extradition. Mr Becchetti and his lawyers believe his case is extremely robust.

“Because of Mr Becchetti’s ownership of Agonset Shpk, an Albanian company operating the Agon Channel TV station, which advocates freedom of speech and which has broadcast stories that are critical of the Albanian Government, Agonset and the TV station have been attacked by the Government.

"Mr Becchetti’s companies’ assets have been seized and their bank accounts frozen. These actions forced the TV station to stop broadcasting; and furthermore and for this reason alone, journalists working for Agon TV have been prevented from being paid."

The statement continued: “Indeed, broadcasts by Agon TV in late May 2015, in advance of local elections in Albania, exposed the scandal of the fake identity cards and as a consequence, the manipulation of the electoral lists compiled by the Albanian Government, which resulted in a single person being able to vote up to twenty times in the elections. The exposure of this scandal appears to have triggered the Government’s baseless charges, dated 5th June, against Mr Becchetti.

“The Albanian Government’s claims are also a reaction to two significant arbitrations commenced by companies associated with Mr Becchetti against the Government for large amounts of money, and are made to pressurise Mr Becchetti to settle these arbitrations."

Becchetti is in his second season at the club after buying Orient last year. The O's were relegated last season and are currently challenging for promotion from League Two. 

The statement concluded: “Accordingly, Mr Becchetti sees that the Albanian requests should have no impact on his duties and responsibilities as chairman of Leyton Orient.

"On the contrary, Mr Becchetti continues to work very hard to reinvigorate the club, which is one of the oldest football clubs in London."