A court date has been set for the case of the former vice chairman of Gillingham FC who is facing extradition to the US where he has been charged with a multi-million pound fraud.

Businessman Michael Anderson will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court for a hearing listed for three days between July 13 and July 15.

The West Malling resident faces charges of conspiring to defraud Tricare – a US government healthcare scheme for members and veterans of the armed forces and their families.

The alleged crimes are said to have taken place between June 2014 and December 2015 in Florida and amount to nearly £4.4 million. He is also charged with two counts of money laundering.

The company boss, whose address has been given as Broadwater Road, ran a Florida-based drugs company and has been indicted by a grand jury. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in jail.

The 68-year-old, who denies the charges, was arrested at Heathrow Airport last June when returning from a holiday in Portugal.

Police apprehended him after American authorities issued an Interpol "red notice" against his name.

Judge Gareth Branston sitting at Westminster Magistrates' Court released him on £400,000 bail.

Ahead of the trial, a case management hearing has been listed for March 17 but Anderson is not expected to be present.

When the allegations were revealed to Gills' chairman Paul Scally in September 2017, Anderson agreed to step down as vice chairman with immediate effect.

In August 2019, the club removed him from the board of directors after an extraordinary general meeting.

Anderson was previously involved with the Hampshire side Aldershot Town and Southern League Premier Division outfit Kettering Town.

He also quit as director of Championship side Ipswich Town after just three days in 2006.