Daphne Caruana Galizia's family has filed an application in court seeking compensation for moral and material damages caused by the car bomb murder of the journalist in October 2017.
The application was filed against the five men formally identified as having played a role in her murder.
"The aim of the legal action is to stop them from using their assets to further corrupt Malta's public life and institutions," the family said in a statement.
Any damages recovered will be diverted to the objectives of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, which are:
● ensuring full justice for Daphne’s assassination;
● protecting investigative journalists;
● ending impunity for the murder of journalists;
● the guardianship of Daphne's work;
● public interest litigation and access to justice; and
● supporting independent, non-partisan media.
Dr Joe Zammit Maempel and Dr Eve Borg Costanzi signed the application.
Three men - Alfred Degiorgio, his brother George and Vince Muscat - were arrested in December 2017 and accused of having planned the murder and set off the bomb.
Businessman Yorgen Fenech was arraigned in November and accused of being an accomplice in the murder.
His arraignment came after the arrest of middleman Melvin Theuma, who turned state evidence.