‘I was never contacted’: Man shocked to see name in police appeal
Antonio Zanghi said police did not email or phone him before issuing 'wanted' call
A businessman who featured in a ‘wanted’ notice said he was never contacted by police and only learned about the matter through media reports.
On Monday, police issued a public appeal for information on Antonio Zanghi, saying he was “wanted by court order” in connection with a court case.
Zanghi, 38, told Times of Malta he was shocked when a friend informed him his name and photo had appeared in multiple news outlets.
“Prior to this, I had received no formal communication – either by phone or email – despite both channels being publicly accessible,” he said.
Zanghi said he immediately contacted the police and was told the case relates to a potential proceeding involving ComplianceOne Group, a Malta-based compliance provider he led until July last year.
“As previously stated, I remain in active communication with all relevant authorities to resolve any outstanding matters concerning ComplianceOneGroup,” he said.
“I have since been informed by the police that I am no longer listed among individuals they have been unable to reach”.
Zanghi, who is British and was abroad at the time, said the public appeal was “disproportionate to the ultimate aim” of notifying him about a potential court case.
“The reputational damage here is extreme. It makes me look like I’m linked to criminal activity,” he said.
The police notice also mentioned a second man, whom Zanghi said is entirely unrelated to him – a detail not clarified in the original statement.
Police routinely publish notices identifying individuals “wanted by court order”.
Asked whether officers had attempted to contact Zanghi before publishing the appeal, a police spokesperson said the police were acting in compliance with a court order.
However, there have been issues in the past.
In 2023, Ryan Dimech said he got “a big fright” when he saw his name listed in a similar police appeal while travelling for work, despite never having been contacted beforehand.
In another case, a wanted notice was issued for a man who was later found to already be in prison.