US Justice Department wants to speak to Shaukat Ali, key player in Vitals deal
Lawyer seeks court's authorisation for Ali to meet US officials
The US Department of Justice wants to speak to Shaukat Ali, the man believed to have been the secret majority owner of Vitals Global Healthcare, a court heard on Monday morning.
Ali, a Pakistani businessman with Maltese citizenship, was arraigned in Malta last July, accused of corruption, money laundering, and other crimes in connection with the Vitals deal to privatise three state hospitals. He allegedly made several million from the now-annulled deal.
During the continuation of proceedings, lawyer Shazoo Ghaznavi pointed out that during the arraignment, the court had ordered the accused not to discuss the case or its details in public.
While the US Department of Justice could not be deemed as “the public”, he wanted to have authorisation from the court before his client met the department's officials.
The court requested supporting documents in connection with the request and asked Ali to file a formal request to obtain authorisation to speak to the US officials.
It is understood that the US officials want to speak to Ali in connection with an ongoing investigation in the US involving Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre and former Steward Malta CEO Armin Ernst.
Steward had taken over the Vitals hospital contract in Malta before it was declared fraudulent and annulled by the courts. Steward subsequently declared bankruptcy in the US and is being investigated for fraud, bribery, and corruption.
Documents unearthed by investigators in connection with the Malta case showed Ali's myriad links to the hospitals deal.
While he was ostensibly a 'consultant' for Vitals, his wife was a director of Vitals’ holding company, Bluestone Investments. His son made money by providing IT and other services to the hospitals.
And Ali himself was made a Vitals consultant and given a €100,000-a-month contract. Both are facing criminal proceedings.
Ali's wife, Aasia Parveen, is also charged with money laundering, trading in influence, misappropriation, promoting and participating in a criminal organisation and corruption.
Magistrate Rachel Montebello presided.
AG lawyers Francesco Refalo, Rebekah Gatt and Shelby Aquilina prosecuted.
Lawyers Shazoo Ghaznavi and Jessica Formosa assisted the accused.