A former director of a company linked to alleged “bribery” payments to Carmen Ciantar has denied even knowing who she is.

“I do not ever recall meeting Carmen Ciantar. Could you please let me know who she is?,” ex-Gozo International Medicare director Mark Pawley told Times of Malta.

Ciantar suspended herself from her role as CEO of the Foundation for Medical Services on Wednesday, hours after the claims linking her to suspect payments surfaced in the Pakistan Today newspaper. 

The Health Ministry accepted the suspension, without pay, of Ciantar who is a close political aide to Health Minister Chris Fearne.

According to the article, Ciantar received €443,000 worth of payments from a Dubai bank, via a Panama company. The alleged payments from Gozo International Medicare took place before Ciantar was appointed as CEO of FMS by Fearne.

Ciantar has dismissed claims as “unfounded” and asked the police commissioner to investigate. On Friday, she also requested to testify in the ongoing probe into the Vitals/Steward deal.

Times of Malta has been unable to independently verify the claims.

Despite having been listed on official documents as Gozo International Medicare’s director, Pawley said he has “no knowledge of this company whatsoever”.

Pawley further stated that he did not control a single bank account, nor have anything to do with any bank accounts in Malta, Dubai or elsewhere.

Only payments for legitimate business purposes should be made by companies with which I am associated- Mark Pawley

“I am unaware of the queried payment and if indeed such a payment was made then I do not know the reason for such payment. 

“I want to again stress that only payments for legitimate business purposes should be made by companies with which I am associated.

“This is a clear instruction that I give to local management of all companies with which I am associated. I would not approve or countenance payments made otherwise,” Pawley said.

Ram Tumuluri, another former director of VGH, called the article 'false and defamatory'.

Payments linked to former VGH director Ram Tumuluri

The Pakistan Today article linked ex-VGH director Ram Tumuluri to the alleged payments to Ciantar.

Tumuluri is seeking whistleblower protection in the United States, claiming he could reveal details about an alleged corrupt conspiracy between Steward Health Care and government officials. Both Steward and the government officials deny wrongdoing.

When contacted about the claims, Tumuluri’s lawyer Andrew Bakaj accused the Pakistan daily newpaper of publishing a “false and defamatory article”.

“To be clear: there is absolutely no connection between my client or VGH at the time he had interest in the company, and the company identified in the article as Gozo International Medicare Ltd.

“Furthermore, there is absolutely no connection between Mr Tumuluri or VGH at the time he had interest in the company to any bank accounts at Emirates NBD in Dubai or any Swiss bank accounts.

“Given the false, defamatory, and clearly targeted reporting against my client, we are exploring all legal remedies available to Mr Tumuluri to set the record straight,” Bakaj said.

Pakistan Today recently also published an article describing a court judgment annulling the hospitals contract on fraud grounds as “shocking,” claiming the judge ignored the €60 million in investment pumped into the St Luke’s, Karin Grech and Gozo hospitals by Steward Health Care.

The 2,000-word article was mainly based on arguments put forward by Steward Health Care in a European Court of Justice case.