Masked street philanthropist aims to give away €100,000

A masked man who has been spotted handing out cash to random people in the street has reassured people that his motives are benign and positive.

‘Briefcase Man’, as he calls himself on social media, has sparked joy, curiosity and suspicion in recent days, after appearing in Floriana, Valletta and even at St Patrick’s Day celebrations in St Julian’s.

Wearing a suit, top hat, sunglasses and mask, he approaches people – usually students – and offers them cash or vouchers out of a small silver briefcase, sometimes after a game of rock-paper-scissors.

Speaking to Times of Malta while retaining his anonymity, Briefcase Man said he was inspired to start handing out money by someone who helped him when he was in need.

“I had a very dark period in my life where I was broke and didn’t have any money. I had found myself in Valletta’s venda (bus station) asking people for money just so I could catch the bus back home. That day a gentleman in a suit had handed me €2 and it stuck with me,” he said.

Asked why he chooses to hide his identity, he said he suffers from “horrible” social anxiety.

“Doing this in disguise allows me to be myself when I’m out and about. It’s the only way the world can get the best out of Briefcase Man,” he said.

While he would not disclose how much money he had given out so far, the masked philanthropist said he aimed to give away €100,000.

“What you have seen barely scratches the surface for what I have in store. 2025 is the Briefcase Man year. This is for all the times I wished someone was there for me.”

The disguised donor said that the response on the streets had been largely positive.

“For the most part people have been nothing but amazing, I’m overwhelmed with the love. I’ve had instances where I got called names and even got spat on at one point. Moreover, I would like to thank the Malta Police Force for always being a good sport and ensuring my safety,” he said.

However, his efforts have attracted suspicion on social media, with several people speculating whether he had sinister motives.

“It breaks my heart because I genuinely just wanted to give away as much money as possible. Regardless of the weird online talk, I’ll keep doing my thing. As a kid I had to scrape and sometimes beg people for every penny.”

In a statement on his Instagram page in which he responded to comments asking why he mainly approached students, he said he remembered what it was like being young and having no means to make money.

“If you’re fully grown up and getting mad at me for giving money away, you need to check yourself,” he wrote.

While Briefcase Man has been featured on the social media channels of radio station Vibe FM, station manager Frank Zammit told The Times that he does not work for the station and that the mysterious man’s generosity was genuine and not a marketing stunt.

“He’s a very clever guy who’s working on his own steam,” Zammit said.