A businessman who successfully fought off extradition to Chile six years ago and allegedly paid for a year-long stay at a St Julian’s hostel with swindled credit card details was described by the receptionist as a “very polite” guest.

The front desk manager at the hostel identified the man as the accused when testifying in the proceedings against Alberto Samuel Chang Rajii, a 50-year old Peruvian-born and Chilean national, who is pleading not guilty to fraud.

In 2017 Chang Rajii had successfully challenged - before the Maltese courts - an extradition request by Chilean authorities who wanted to prosecute him over his suspected role in an $80 million fraudulent Ponzi scheme which swindled investors out of their savings.

Six years later, the man landed in fresh trouble with the law when a local businessman reported a financial transaction which had been effected through his Master Card account but which had “absolutely not” been authorised by him.

The alleged victim was at a meeting when he received an alert from a boutique hostel in St Julian’s about a €540 payment effected through his credit card.

That message prompted him to file a report at the St Julian’s police station on March 13.

The front desk manager at the hostel recalled the date and the events which took place when police turned up at the reception, accompanied by a man who was presumably the alleged victim.

She had started working there as a receptionist in 2021 and was later promoted to manager responsible for housekeeping, front desk and “organising the system” in general.

The police officers asked whether she had discharged a payment from a particular guest.

After confirming the €544.40 transaction and producing the relative receipt, the manager led the officers to the guest who had paid by means of a bank card.

“On March 21 he would have stayed for one year,” said the witness.

Most of his reservations were placed through Booking.com.

Later payments were made by means of a virtual card on the guest’s phone.

When police asked for his card, Chang Rajii had showed them the card he used to pay for his accommodation.

“Then they told him that he was under arrest,” recalled the witness.

Asked about the accused’s behaviour during his stay at the hostel, the manager described Chang Rajii as “very good” and “very polite”.

She had tried to meet investigators’ request for CCTV footage but it was deleted after four days.

She even contacted an expert company for help with recovering the footage but she was informed it was “impossible”.

A representative from a local bank’s mortgages department presented statements of the credit card holder’s account covering the period between June 2022 and April 2024.

Transaction records were also produced by the mortgage officer who, however, could not shed light upon security measures applied by the bank. Questions to that effect were better placed to the fraud department at the bank.

The case, presided over by Magistrate Gabriella Vella, continues.

AG lawyer Claire Sammut prosecuted.

Lawyer Ilona Schembri was legal aid counsel.

Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell appeared parte civile.