Updated 3.30pm

A woman who organised private parties, where drugs flowed freely and Latin American prostitutes mingled with VIP guests, bragged about how easily she obtained permits for her girls thanks to her “corrupt” contacts.

The shady dealings of the party organiser were divulged in a sworn 59-page application filed in court by lawyer and former MP Jason Azzopardi who is calling for an “urgent” magisterial inquiry into what appears to be a large-scale identity fraud racket. 

The lawyer claimed that since 2015, some 18,000 identity cards were issued on the back of marriage certificates and other documents fabricated by Identità officials. 

Azzopardi said he was recently approached by “a man” who claimed to have attended several parties organised by this Colombian woman, a “portly figure” (godlija) aged 40 or so, with a tattoo close to her shoulder. 

The source shared this first-hand information with Azzopardi on condition of anonymity. 

The woman openly bragged about how easy it was for her to get work permits for her workers through contacts at Identitá, the government agency issuing ID cards and residence permits.

She claimed these public officials were paid “large sums of money” or offered free invites to her parties where cocaine flowed “abundantly” and prostitutes mingled with distinguished guests.

“MPs from both sides of parliament, a government minister, doctors, lawyers, government officials and employees” attended those parties held at a rented villa in Wardija, a central Mellieħa apartment as well as an apartment in St Julian’s. 

A male contact frequently mentioned by the Colombian woman appeared to be one of the masterminds identified by Azzopardi. 

The makings of a large-scale racket 

Several persons, including members of the police corps, stepped forward in recent weeks to share “very sensitive” information about the criminal organisation behind the alleged racket.

Third country nationals, mostly Egyptian and Libyan, were offered “a fast-tracked” ID card in exchange for thousands in cash. Documents were issued in record time, under 30 days, Azzopardi claimed.

Three cases involving Egyptian nationals were presented in evidence by Azzopardi.

One case concerned a man who was charged in court some weeks ago for document fraud. 

His wrongdoing allegedly consisted of telling authorities that he was married to an English woman to obtain a permit to live and work in Malta. 

But he protested his innocence and his case is still ongoing.

The Englishwoman, named as his ‘spouse’ on his marriage-for-residence certificate, denied having ever been married to him or any other Egyptian national. 

She was tracked down by Maltese immigration police and travelled to Malta to testify in the proceedings. 

She told the court that someone from Identity Malta had contacted her in 2022 asking her to confirm her ‘marriage’ to an Egyptian. She next heard about the matter when the police called her this year. 

During that court sitting, the presiding magistrate ordered the police commissioner to investigate two agency officials who gave “totally conflicting” testimonies. 

Questions by the accused’s lawyer revealed that personal details on ID or permit applications were inputted into the agency’s computer system by a former official who no longer worked at Identitá’s expatriates section. 

Now Azzopardi is alleging that that official played an important role in the greater criminal scheme, together with other corrupt government officials.

Together they fabricated certificates so that third-country nationals would acquire the right to live and move freely throughout Schengen states. 

These TCNs were falsely described as being married to EU citizens, mostly from pre-Brexit UK, and were ‘unknowingly’ linked to some Maltese address with which they had no ties.

A secondary entrance after office hours 

The man identified as the mastermind had acquired a reputation among TCNs of easily securing documents through illegal channels against payment. 

TCNs who paid hefty sums for the fraudulent documents said they were directed to Identitá’s office in Marsa after office hours. 

The man’s “right hand” official let them in through a secondary entrance, took their photo and told them to call for the document some days later. 

An ID card could cost anything between €2,000 and €8,000.

Azzopardi fired an important warning. 

None of the fabricated certificates existed and they “could not be found inside Identitá files.

“They appear to have already been destroyed by the [agency] employees who were involved as authors or accomplices in this racket,” claimed the lawyer. 

Investigator was ‘diplomatically removed’ 

Two TCNs who were prosecuted and jailed after being found in possession of fraudulent documents, asked for whistleblower status to disclose the identity of the masterminds behind this racket. 

Their request was turned down and police did not seek a magisterial inquiry. 

When an Egyptian man was stopped at the airport because of his suspicious document, he received a call later that same day by an alleged mastermind who had evidently been tipped off about the arrest through corrupt sources within the police corps.

A police inspector who was heading investigations was “diplomatically removed” from the case after making it clear that he intended to take criminal action against the masterminds.

This was why a magisterial inquiry was “urgently” required.

Servers, mobile phones, computers, CCTVs and cloud accounts linked to suspects had to be seized and preserved. 

Those involved in the racket were liable to prosecution for bribery, criminal conspiracy, trading in influence, fraud, forgery and money laundering.

There appeared to be enough prima facie evidence that the masterminds identified in Azzopardi’s application had “systematically” promoted the racket for a number of years. 

This was a “textbook case of computer-related fraud and… forgery” aggravated by the fact that one of the suspects was a public official, claimed the lawyer. 

Aġenzija Identità reacts

In a statement, Aġenzija Identità reiterated it took any allegation, doubt or report seriously, and, in line with this, it had strengthened its diligence structures. 

It added it fully cooperated with investigating authorities.

"Following an internal investigation by the Compliance sector and the Expatriates Unit, the agency passed on information - including evidence about some individuals - to the police, so that the Force can continue with its investigation and take any necessary action.

"The agency does not tolerate any form of abuse, from no one."

Last month Identità denied reports it had issued thousands of ID cards to foreign nationals.