Jeweller denies defrauding over 10 clients out of €20,000
Accused is charged with scamming clients seeking jewellery repairs
A 54-year-old man was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to defrauding over ten clients out of €20,000.
Giuseppe Pasquale Alongi, who was born in Canada but now lives in Żurrieq, was accused of fraud and misappropriation. He denied the charges.
It is understood that the man had a shop selling gold in Rabat and allegedly defrauded clients seeking repairs.
A request for bail was made by legal aid lawyer Rachel Tua.
Police inspector Italo Mizzi objected to the request saying that there are over ten victims and the man has been wanted for over a year.
The prosecutor added that he had tried five telephone numbers to contact Alongi before managing to obtain a number from the man’s former employer.
Tua countered that the man had a fixed address and a job, and his partner was currently pregnant.
In 2023, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority had issued a "public warning" about Alongi after he failed to honour a decision of the Consumer Claims Tribunal ordering him to refund €3,494.06 related to necklace repairs.
On Thursday the court denied the request for bail and remanded Alongi in custody in view of the severity of the case and his lack of ties to Malta.
Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided.
Police inspector Italo Mizzi prosecuted while legal aid lawyer Rachel Tua assisted the accused.