One of Hillary Clinton’s main fundraisers, who was exposed last week as a convicted fraudster, was being hunted by police last night after failing to appear in court for a bail hearing.

Norman Hsu, who raised tens of thousands of dollars for Mrs Clinton’s presidential bid, was dropped by her campaign last week when it emerged that he was wanted in California after failing to appear for sentencing on a grand theft conviction in 1991.

A warrant for his arrest was issued last night after he failed to appear in court in California yesterday. His lawyer said he did not know where his client was.

Although there is no suggestion that Mrs Clinton knew of Mr Hsu’s tainted past, the warrant for his arrest will be an unwelcome development for her campaign. The former First Lady’s aides had hoped that the episode was behind them.

Mr Hsu has donated more than $260,000 (£128,000) to Democratic candidates since 2004. He was a leading “bundler” for Mrs Clinton – a key fundraiser who finds donors and then packages their cheques together.

Before his fraudulent past emerged last week, he had been a member of her “HillRaiser” team - individuals who have pledged to raise more than $100,000. In addition to dropping him as a fundraiser, the Clinton campaign said it would donate to charity the $23,000 he had personally donated to Mrs Clinton.

Mr Hsu, a Hong Kong businessman based in New York, pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in California in 1991 but disappeared before his sentencing hearing. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 1992 but he left the state and Californian authorities did not pursue him vigorously.

Since his fall from grace last week concerns have also grown about the legality of methods he used to raise money. An unusual pattern of donations that he and other acquaintances have made to Mrs Clinton has raised questions about whether he was reimbursing the others for their donations — a breach of campaign finance laws.

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