PORTUGUESE POLICE have confirmed that a 39-year-old man was arrested in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, allegedly for trying to extort two million euros from the McCann family.
It is said that the man, who was detained by Dutch Police on Wednesday, wanted to give information on the whereabouts of Madeleine in return for half of the reward money on offer, which is around four million euros at the present.
It is understood that the man had sent six emails to Gerry and Kate McCann, saying he knew the whereabouts of Madeleine but would only reveal the information after receiving the money.
The McCanns got in touch with the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária and they immediately contacted the Dutch authorities.
It is believed that the search for the sender of the emails involved the British police.
After being arrested, the man was interviewed by Dutch police and it is reported that he became very angry, to the point of saying that he didn’t believe they would ever have sent him the money.
The Polícia Judiciária said the arrest had only been possible thanks to the close co-operation of the police from the European countries involved.
