Investigations into suspected financial crimes by former footballer Darren Debono led to money-laundering charges against two company directors operating a fish restaurant in Pietà.
Keith Testa, 29, and accountant Carlos Dimech, 27, were charged in their personal capacity as well as in their capacity as directors of Pietà Marina Caterers Ltd which operated Onda Blu, a restaurant specialising in fish, based at La Vecchia Dogana in Sa Maison, Pietà.
Charges came in the wake of similar proceedings against Valletta-based Porticello and Marsaxlokk-based Capo Mulini, fronted by Debono’s stepdaughter, Florinda Sultana, and former high-ranking bank official Albert Buttigieg, who are both pleading not guilty to money laundering and other financial crimes.
Testa and Dimech also pleaded not guilty when the case kicked off on Wednesday.
Inspector James Turner, from the Anti-Money-Laundering Squad, said investigations focused on various commercial establishments and restaurants run by companies with offices based at a San Ġwann quarry.
The police had identified several common factors, said Inspector Turner.
The primary source was fuel trading amalgamated to fish trade, simultaneous expenses between companies, income from BVI offshore companies, unexplained inter-company transfers as well as movement of employees from one establishment to another. These all pointed to a common pattern, Turner said.
Moreover, the companies followed the same method of incorporation, shared the same auditor, had a similar pattern of sales, salaries and purchases and the same culinary concept.
Daily cash flow was not deposited but was retained to cover other payments, Turner said.
Police suspected “the hand of Debono” behind all this, the court was told.
Lawyer Stefano Filletti, assisting both accused, questioned whether it was illegal to have a franchise and run the companies in such manner.
Turner replied that although it was not illegal, the structure of the companies in this case appeared to indicate that they were administered by the same persons, most notably Debono, who also engaged workers to refurbish the restaurants, as confirmed by various persons contracted and mobile communication to that effect.
Although the source of funding was allegedly linked to oil smuggling, Turner said that there were no proceedings in Malta against Debono, adding that there was only one pending case in Italy.
Asked by Filletti whether the prosecution could “clearly identify these transactions and their relative amount”, the inspector said that the prosecution was not in a position to quantify the amounts invested by Debono in these companies.
As the hearing drew to a close, the court, presided over by magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, upheld a request for a freezing order by the prosecution.
FIlletti argued that that order was to be limited to assets acquired by the accused after joining the company in July 2019 and June 2020 respectively, adding that other personal assets before those dates could not be deemed as proceeds of crime.
But the prosecution rebutted that the law appeared to make no distinction, deeming all assets of those charged with money laundering as derived from criminal activity.
On the basis of the court decree, the defence would “seek redress elsewhere” Filletti said.
The case continues.
AG lawyers Antoine Agius Bonnici and Cinzia Alamango assisted prosecuting inspectors James Turner, Omar Caruana and Joseph Xerri. Lawyer Maronia Magri was also defence counsel.