Michael McGeever, the Irish tycoon who was found disheveled and disorientated on a country road in County Leitrim last week owes millions of euro over failed property deals, according to the Irish Sun.

McGeever, 68, who was found eight months after being reported missing, had the word 'thief' written in ink on his forehead by an armed Russian gang.

To date, the former property developer, who made a fortune in Dubai, has given no reason for his abduction last May.

Yesterday the Irish Sun revealed that McGeever now owes millions of euro to several individuals following property deals that never panned out. The paper added that there is no suggestion that any of them were involved in McGeever’s abduction.

Three of the investors the paper spoke to say they pumped money into McGeever’s Dubai property firm, while the fourth carried out work for him here in Ireland.

One subcontractor told the Irish Sun that McGeever owed him a 'six-figure sum' for work carried out on his Galway mansion, which he named Nirvana.

The contractor said: 'I’ve been waiting on McGeever to pay up for ages. It’s been a nightmare trying to get the money I’m owed. Once I had finished the work, he didn’t want to know. We were worried that we wouldn’t be able to track him down. So I’m glad that he has reappeared so we can go after him. It’s now in the hands of my solicitors.'

Others consulted by the paper told of their difficulties concerning property deals in Dubai. But aviation broker William Flood, 31, confirmed that he had managed to get what he paid for from McGeever.