FILE PHOTO: Mozambique's former finance minister Manuel Chang appears in court during an extradition hearing in Johannesburg, South Africa, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Shafiek Tassiem/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The court hearing of former Mozambican finance minister Manuel Chang, who faces charges of fraud and money laundering, has been postponed until Jan. 18, a member of his legal team said on Thursday.

Chang, who denies wrongdoing, has been in custody in South Africa since Dec. 29, when he was arrested on U.S. charges related to his alleged role in a scandal involving $2 billion in fraudulent loans.

Next week’s hearing in South Africa is expected to see his legal team apply for bail, after unsuccessfully fighting his detention using technical arguments.

The United States is also seeking the extradition of three former Credit Suisse bankers and has arrested the lead salesman of Abu Dhabi-based holding company Privinvest, who it says are also implicated.