SALMAN RAOUF SALMAN - HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTE - $7m RECHERCHE

 

SALMAN RAOUF SAMAN

FENECH ADMITS HE ORDERED GUN & SILENCER TO KILL ASSOCIATE FROM MURDER, AS JOSEPH MUSCAT ACCELERATES HIS DEPARTURE; PART 2

 

Yorgan Fenech stated that, after the murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, of which he admitted to a major role, he ordered a pistol and silencer on the Internet, for the sole purpose of silencing his talkative co-conspirator and middleman, whom he feared would testify and implicate him, Melvin Theuma. He made those statements to Police during his arrest and interrogation in 2019, and the officers involved gave their sworn testimony regarding that evidence this past week, in a closed-door session barred to the press. 

Fenech accessed the so-called Dark Web, which is a source for contraband and illegal substances, in his efforts to obtain a weapon with which to kill Theuma. The name of the dark Web marketplace that he visited was BERLUSCONI MARKET, which was reportedly subsequently taken down by Italy's Guardia di Finanza, in a major EU raid, in connection with pirate television.

We obtained this information from official US sources, who have been closely monitoring all developments, as have law enforcement agencies of a number of EU countries, including but not limited to France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, in addition to the European Commission itself. Fenech's statements, which are admissible under the Laws of Malta, were made after he was advised of his rights, and signed a written acknowledgement thereof. He also had an opportunity to consult with his legal counsel at length, prior to making a statement.

Apparently, the recent disclosure of incriminating evidence against disgraced former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has caused the former Labour Party leader to quietly accelerate his scheduled departure to Dubai, UAE.  Our sources have reported that the team from the hotel/catering company in Malta is racing to complete their preparation of the Dubai facility, including overtime operations. It is said that the new catering facility, in which Muscat is going to act as CEO, could be finished by New Years' Day. Muscat, who has no prior experience in food service, will reportedly be relocating as soon as the physical facilities are ready.

One source close to the Muscat family believes that they will announce a holiday vacation, depart for a resort, but will not return as scheduled; Labour Party workers will them move a significant portion of their possessions, but leaving a portion at at their current residence. The source understands that Muscat will be declaring that he is immune from prosecution in Malta, and needs the Malta home to maintain residential status. He will fight extradition to Malta from Dubai.

Stay tuned for Part 3.

DID GREED AND CORRUPTION ERASE MALTAS's "NEUTRALITY" AND MOVE IT TO ASSIST RUSSIA, AND IS THAT WHY THE US HAS TARGETED IT ?

 

Buried in the news from Malta is a story about a visit from someone at the US Embassy to interview the alleged fuel smuggling kingpin Darren Debono, regarding his gang's secret refueling of Russian ships. If this turns out to be confirmed, it may represent the underlying reason that United States has directly targeted Malta's corrupt senior leadership, who have protected Debono's operation from arrest, in exchange for what has been described as a percentage of the criminal profits Debono's crew earns.

If Russian warships and commercial vessels are being covertly refueled and resupplied on the high seas, it represents a change in the balance of power in the Western Mediterranean. So much for Malta's vaunted Constitutionally-mandated Neutrality. Is Debono refueling Russian submarines transiting the Straits of Gibraltar, en route to the Atlantic, we ask ? No wonder the United States sent its Secretary of Defence and five aircraft recently, to negotiate the Forces Agreement, which would have allowed US-flag vessels to use Malta's outstanding port facilities. Russia in the Western Med is a threat to NATO and the EU.

Blame your disgraced ex-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for allowing fuel smugglers free rein, so long as they kick in  part of the profits to him and his party, regarded by objective observers as little more than a cult. Do you really want Russia prowling around the sea lanes and airspace ? Certainly, the United States does not, and that may have spurred its law enforcement agencies to move against Muscat and his criminal organization. Debono was charged with fuel smuggling years ago in Italy, but the case has stalled. Will he be convicted now in Malta ? Perhaps Muscat will be convicted first, in New York or Miami. Stay tuned.

 

FENECH ADMITTED HIS GUILT IN DAPHNE GALIZIA ASSASSINATION, SHOWED NO REMORSE - REPORT NO. 1

 

As had already been mooted, this week in Court it was confirmed on Oath by the prosecution that during his arrest, & his interrogation in 2019, part of which was for  the purposes of turning State witness (Prerogative of Mercy), Yorgan Fenech had nonchalantly told the Police that the money he won from betting on the results of the 2017 General Elections were to be given to the assassins and constituted his payment for the assassination. This payment reiterated his criminal involvement & instigation to get the assassination carried out. In other words, it was amounting to full complicity in the eyes of the criminal law,

The Magistrate warned attendees about the criminal consequences of discussing the testimony with others in Malta. We are offering this information for the benefit of our foreign and American readers, and without any intent to violate Maltese law.

Additionally, Fenech candidly stated that he had no remorse for his central role in the murder, as he considered Daphne an existential threat. Whether that factored into the governments' decision not to grant him a pardon is not known known. A Presidential Pardon, also known in Malta as a Prerogative of Mercy, is authorized under Article 93 of the Constitution of Malta, can be granted when the testimony results in the successful prosecution of another for a more serious offense. While it is granted and signed by the President, it is usually recommended by the Prime Minister or Justice Minister.

For those readers who are wondering how such information can be used, as under the laws of the United States testimony offered for the purposes of immunity is generally not admissible, the laws of Malta reportedly allow such statements to be used against the person making them, so long as he has been cautioned and read his rights. Fenech was duly read his rights, upon his arrest when he attempted to escape Malta, and he signed a written declaration at police headquarters, as is standard police practice. He also had the opportunity to consult with counsel before giving any testimony.

We shall continue with Part 2 of our story later this week; stay tuned.

 

MALTA SHOULD RECOVER THE €200m ACCUMULATED BY ITS CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND CHANGE ITS BUSINESS MODEL

 

 A reader remarked that law enforcement has conservatively estimated Malta's corrupt senior leaders, meaning Joseph Muscat and his associates, now have more that €200m in criminal proceeds.Most of this money is hidden in offshore tax havens around the world, and Malta's reformers are intent upon recovering it for the benefit of its people, The question becomes what is the highest and best use of this money ?

My personal opinion, based upon my decades of experience in compliance, is that Malta must abandon its dodgy offshore tax haven business model, and using the money for retraining and the purchase of the latest in hardware and software, create a compliance industry to serve the financial institutions and public companies of the European Union and Africa. Given the expansion of liability for AML/CFT deficiencies, it is a true growth industry. We welcome your comments and thoughts on this topic.

 Let's turn this national nightmare into something positive. Take away the proceeds of crime and put it to good use.

DETAILS EMERGE FROM YORGAN FENECH's OFF-THE-RECORD INTERROGATION AT CLOSED DOOR HEARING

 

 

We are please to report that we have received  details of the cross-examination today of the Police Inspectors who originally conducted the off-the record interrogation of Daphne Galizia assassination suspect Yorgan Fenech behind closed doors. Fenech's attorneys were unable to block questioning of the business tycoon about information disclosed to investigators, for the purpose of obtaining a Presidential Pardon, which was eventually denied. Fenech's attorneys had asserted that Fenech will be prejudiced if he is required to answer, and also objected to the intervention of the victim's family.

We have received a mini-recap of the corruption being discussed in today's proceedings, but we need to confirm certain information, as some of it came from multiple sources. As serious journalists, we cannot publish without corroboration, and we trust that those of our readers who were in attendance will get in touch with us. Note that we are aware that it is a criminal offence in Malta to report any of this story in the Maltese press, but we are reporting solely for our American and international readers. The source of any information received is protected here under American law.

Aside from this hearing, there are rumors in Valletta of millions of Euros, representing alleged transfers to former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, involved in the Wind Farm project, gas and fuel supplies kickbacks, and other organized crime activities inside Malta that received the blessing and protection of Muscat. We cannot comment upon the information regarding today's proceeding, until that information has been confirmed, from reliable witnesses who have first-person information. While today happens to be a national holiday in the United States, we trust that we will be able to bring the full story about today's important hearing to our readers tonight.

DMITRY SHEGUROV - IEEPA VIOLATIONS; SENDING PROHIBITED DUAL-USE TECHNOLOGIES TO RUSSIA

 

HOW MALTA BAILED OUT A BANK THAT BUSTED IRAN SANCTIONS BY BUYING ITS BOV SHARES

The government of the Republic of Malta illegally financed Iran sanctions evasion, and did it improperly with revenue from the Individual Investor program (IIP), as its Citizenship by Investment passport program is known. IIP funds are required to be applied to social and developmental initiatives in Malta.

 Malta, which then held 25% of BOV stock, used €21.8m in passport sales cash to purchase an additional ten percent (10%) interest in Bank of Valletta from Italy's Unicredit SpA, shortly before UniCredit, and its two subsidiaries* agreed to pay $1.3bn to US and New York regulators for massive Iran, Libya and Cuba sanctions violation. 

Malta's purchase of BOV stock allowed Unicredit to pay the huge American fine it was negotiating; UniCredit, according to American regulators, reportedly went to great lengths to assist IRISL, the government-owned Iranian shipping line, evade sanctions on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and global terrorism. It is alleged that the close relationship between BOV and UniCredit  included cooperation in Iran sanctions evasion. The Maltese bank is reportedly the subject of an investigation into its money laundering and sanctions evasion activities.    ___________________________________________________________________

*UniCredit Bank AG and UniCredit Bank Austria AG.

IS THERE A CONNNECTION BETWEEN THE HALKBANK/ZARRAB CASE AND THE MALTAGATE MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATION ?

The recent filing of a sealed document in the Iran sanctions evasion case against Turkish government-owned Halkbank raises the question: Is there a link between the Halkbank case and the Malta Money laundering investigation, also known as MaltaGate ? The Malta targets were engaged in protecting the lucrative Libyan fuel oil/gasoil smuggling operation, which resulted in the delivery of finished petroleum products to Iran, for civilian consumption, for which they laundered profits and took a piece of the action for themselves. 

While we haven not yet seen any public reference between the Iranian oil-for-gold sanctions evasion kingpin, Reza Zarrab, Zarrab's extensive cooperation was so extraordinary as to result in a rare get-out-of-jail-free card for him, and he must have extensively diagrammed precisely how and where Iran obtained access to gasoil from Libya, and who was responsible for seeing that no arrests were made, and product seized. It is both logical and probable that Zarrab spilled all the innermost secrets of the crews engaged in the smuggling operation, including storage, disguise of  the identity of the contraband oil, and delivery to Iran.

Whether the sealed document represent a sealed indictment, though only conjecture and speculation at this stage, Zarrab's central role in covert global Iranian programs, and his current privileged status, despite having pled guilty, suggests that the Halkbank case is more than it seems to be. Where's the Malta connection ?

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO QUESTION SEALED FILINGS IN FEDERAL COURT CASES

 I understand that some of our readers may not fully understand the importance of the fact that certain pleadings have been filed Under Seal in Federal criminal cases, and we therefore wish to fully explain the significance of such filings. This is especially important when seeking to ascertain whether there may be additional defendants not publicly known, who may have already been indicted but not yet in custody or before the Court for some reason.

First of all, all pleadings filed in criminal cases in US District Court by  the Government, and by defense attorneys, are always open to the press and public, who may review them in electronic version, at a computer terminal in the Clerk's Office, or on PACER, at any time. The Docket Sheet lists all filings in chronological order.

However, when the Government has a specific reason to file pleadings under seal, meaning that they are not open to public view, and are restricted, it has the right to designate the filing as Under Seal. This is allowed only for a limited number of reasons, for the actions of the lawyers, the courts and the judiciary are to be always open for public scrutiny, as a matter of public policy in a free society.

Here's why Government prosecutors may seek to seal pleadings, filings or documents:

(1) The document is an indictment of an individual who is not yet in custody, and should he have advance knowledge that he has been charged with a Federal felony, he may see to engage in flight to avoid prosecution. When a defendant is outside the United States, his sealed indictment will sit in the file until he is arrested, or extradited, and physically before the court.

(2) A filing may name heretofore unindicted targets of an investigation,, and the Government fears that is his or her name is publicly exposed, the target may flee.

(3) There may be classified information in the filing. The Classified Information Procedure Act provides a number of ways the Court deals with this information, but initially it cannot be filed in open court.

(4) There is certain information in a filing that may alert targets that they are under criminal investigation, even though their names do not appear. The reference to a specific investigation may tip off targets. Also, information about an investigation by a law enforcement in another country could alert targets in this country.

(5) Testimony of a cooperating informant (CI) which, if exposed, may result in threats to the life or safety of the informant, or the removal or destruction of evidence or the proceeds of crime, generally assets.

Personally, when I see sealed filings in a Federal criminal case, I expect that there may be either sealed indictments in the court file, or information which may alert individuals that they are subjects or targets of the investigation. That's why I comment on what you may regard as routine filings, for they may be important clues about the development of an ongoing case.

AFTER IGNORING OFAC SANCTIONS, AND RETURNING MONEY, MALTA BELATEDLY ARRESTS PROMINENT LOCAL SMUGGLER

 

 

Remember our recent article, Judge in Malta ignores OFAC Sanctions, releases funds to Arrested Oil Smuggler ? The court in Malta returned €296,000 to a suspected Libyan gas/oil smuggler, notwithstanding existing OFAC sanctions. The return of the proceeds of crime appeared to be a slap in the face of United States Libyan anti-smuggling efforts.

 Now, almost two months later, Daren Debono, and ten others, have been arrested in a major money laundering case, involving an attorney and an accounting firm.we are wondering whether the case is a belated effort to repair the damage with the US, impress MONEYVAL, or both. First, we need to see if any of those arrested ever go to trial, or if the case was just a show for regulators. Second, let's see which attorneys are representing the accused. If they are pat of the existing power structure, there will be no justice, just a dismissal, years down the road, for some procedural flaw found by a magistrate judge.

Finally, those individuals in law enforcement who were responsible for the evidence used to get the arrest warrants, will leave the Malta Police Force, to take a high-paying job for organized crime. I rest my case.

 

ARE THERE ANY CRUSADERS LEFT IN MALTA TO HELP CLEAN UP THE CORRUPTION ?

 

The Siege of Malta in 1565 was not the last battle. It's going on right now, between the Forces of Light and the Forces of Darkness. Which side are you on ? The oncoming legal storm will wipe out the country's corrupt leaders, and the organized crime elements that they protect will not be able to stand the bright sunlight. Reform will replace corruption.

if you consider yourself a descendant of the Knights of Malta, pitch in and help us bring the story of the 2021 criminal indictments to Malta. There will be cases filed in more than one jurisdiction in the United States, and we need to cover all the courtroom events as they unfold. Please donate to allow us to expand our coverage, so that all the details of these cases can be reported and analyzed.  Thank you for your support. Access the "Donate" icon immediately to the right, and help us report history in the making.

WITH AN AMERICAN INDICTMENT LOOMING, A NERVOUS PRIME MINISTER COMMITS A CAPITAL CRIME UNDER AMERICAN LAW

 

                                                         Deer in the Headlights

 Malta's disgraced former Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, has gone underground, fearing assassination by his many organized crime partners. According to witnesses, he has not been regularly seen in public for weeks. His wife, Michelle, who is rumored to also be a target of the investigation, due to a reported money laundering investigation of  her clothing business, has visibly aged. Their children are being home schooled, amid bogus claims that they were bullied at school.

Muscat, who is, according to friends, taking anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication,  and getting very little sleep, has been actively plotting the murder of a US citizen in a foreign jurisdiction. JM and his associates have allegedly been discussing ways to entice the American to an Eastern European or Caribbean/Latin American location, for the sole purpose of silencing that individual, to prevent him from Exercising his First Amendment rights. This constitutes a very serious crime cognizable under US Federal Law.

Mr. Muscat's untenable legal situation just got worse. The possible maximum penalty for such a crime includes Death by Execution under US law. Perhaps in his arrogance Muscat actually believes that the United States does not have the power to bring him to justice, as a former leader of his government. he might want to read about Panamanian General & President Manuel Noriega, and Turks & Caicos Chief Minister Norman Saunders. Both served Federal Prison time for their crimes; their hubris did not save them. 

Will Joseph Muscat accept his fate, or force the United States to prove its case, in a lengthy and costly  trial ? If so, we trust he understands the consequences.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

MALTA PROMOTES A CENTRAL FIGURE IN MALTAGATE TO HEAD THE CENTRAL BANK

 

 We note from a pubic announcement that the Republic of Malta's Minister of Finance, EDWARD SCICLUNA, is to be promoted. Scicluna will resign as Minister and Member of Parliament, to become the new Governor of the Central Bank of Malta. He has been Finance Minister since 2013 when Malta's Labour Party (PL) came into power.

It was under Scicluna's watch that Malta was transformed into the European Union's "user-friendly" jurisdiction for money laundering, Terrorist financing, and a known cesspool for financial crime.  His failure to rein in rampant money laundering, within his own party, amounted to at best willful blindness, and at worst, aiding and abetting financial crimes of every type and category. Scicluna was the subject of a criminal investigation in 2019,  with then-Health Minister Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona, regarding Vitals Global Healthcare.

                                                      Scicluna, Mizzi and Cardona

 Observers in the EU fear that, in his new role as Central Bank head, he will further facilitate financial crime in Malta, and in the other Members of the European Union. It is not known whether he is or was a target of the ongoing Malta Money Laundering investigation, being conducted by the United States, and other countries, and whether he is cooperating with foreign law enforcement agencies. 

 

Two officials of ministerial rank have reportedly received immunity from prosecution for their cooperation with American authorities, but their identities have not been publicly released, and we do not wish to put their lives at risk by speculating as to who they are. There are also rumors that those two individuals will be receiving monetary compensation for their testimony, and will be relocated outside of Malta.

  

WITH ALX SAAB MORAN STILL FIGHTING EXTRADITION IN CAPE VERDE, BRUCE BAGLEY'S SENTENCING RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL 27

 

 

 

 If you have been wondering what is goig on with the much-delayed extradition of the wanted Colombian money launderer, ALEX NAIN SAAB MORAN, there have been additional delays in his appeal of the lower Cape Verde court order requiring his extradition to Miami, where he faces multiple money laundering and financial crime charges.

Former UM Professor Bruce Bagley, whose sentencing was to take place recently, has had his sentencing rescheduled for April 27, 2021. Bagley is expected to testify against Saab, in order to obtain a reduced sentence, and we believe that is why his sentencing has been postponed.

US ATTORNEY IN SADR CASE REQUESTS SEALING OF DEFENSE AND ITS OWN FILINGS

                                   Does Keith Schembri have a sealed indictment against him? 

 Notwithstanding that the defense has repeatedly asked the Court in the Sadr case to unseal all the post-dismissal filings, The US Attorney's Office, SDNY, again has requested sealing all the pleadings. While the defense filed their last under seal, it was still seeking the Court's approval to unseal all the filings of both sides.

  We can only conclude that there are names of Targets and Persons of Interest revealed in those filings, and to allow that information to become public record could allow those individuals, from what we are referring to as MaltaGate, to seek to evade efforts to bring them to justice.

READ THE COURT ORDER IN THE SADR CASE AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

 If you want to satisfy yourself as to whether or not the evidence withheld from the defense in United States vs. Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad  constituted Brady material, you may want to read the complete text of the 42-page Opinion & Order here.

SENTENCING OF FORMER ANTIGUA REGULATOR LEROY KING POSTPONED

                 Leroy King, the former Antigua banking regulator charged with colluding with convicted Ponzi schemer R Allen Stanford, to conceal the fraud at Stanford International Bank, was had his sentencing rescheduled in Federal Court in Texas. King lost all his extradition appeals in Antigua, was extradited to the United States, and later pled guilty to one count of Obstruction of Justice, and one count of Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice. He is said to be terminally ill. but this is unconfirmed.

 It is not known whether the rescheduling was ordered to allow King to testify against certain senior government officials and PEPs from the Commonwealth of Dominica, who are targets of a massive American investigation of Iranian and Venezuelan money laundering known as the Maltagate, and in which Dominica PM Roosevlt Skerrit and his attorney, Anthony "Little Tony" Astaphan are allegedly two of the principal Dominican targets. Pilatus Bank CEO HAMIDREZA GHANBARI has a Dominica CBI passport, and is allegedly an agent of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Ghanbari's role in money laundering in and through Dominica is not publicly known.

                                                 Anthony "Little Tony" Astaphan, SC

SADR'S €50m MALTA CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN 2014 WAS DESIGNED TO BUST IRAN SANCTIONS

 

Long before Ali Sadr Hasheminejad's Malta-based Pilatus Bank was evading global sanctions on Venezuelan and Iran, he created a local construction project for social and mass housing. The company, known as MALTA INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, LTD., was formed by Sadr in January 2014, as Director of BRITTSTONE LTD., the same Hong Kong corporation believed to own Pilatus Bank. A subsequent controversy regarding the project, initiated by members of the European Parliament, interfered with its implementation.

Using IIP (Citizenship by Investment) funds to fund construction by a private company, when the Government of Malta had traditionally had that role was openly questioned in Parliament at that time,  as the money would be going to Sadr's Iranian-owned construction company. Given that payment was to be made in Euros, rather than US Dollars, it would have been, if completed, a clever evasion technique, funneling €50m to Iran.

Sadr used a low-cost Venezuelan social housing project to transfer funds that the United States alleged were used to fund Pilatus Bank. Sadr's conviction, after a jury trial, was set aside and all charges were dismissed, in a ruling never fully explained, and which may have been involved in evidence produced in the ongoing cases collectively known as the Malta money laundering investigation, also known as Maltagate. Several members of the former and present government of the Republic of Malta reportedly have sealed indictments on file against them, including former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, on multiple charges. Those indictments have not yet been unsealed, nor any arrests effected. A number of targets have allegedly been cooperating with US, UK, Italian, French and other EU law enforcement agencies.

 

 

PALESTINIAN ARRRESTED IN MALTA AND CHARGED WITH SELLING COUNTERFEIT PASSPORTS AND RESIDENCE PERMITS

 Local media in Malta have reported that a Palestinian was arrested yesterday, and accused of selling counterfeit Maltese passports ans residency permits. His identity was not disclosed; an unspecified amount of currency was seized by the Malta Police.

The case raises the question: was this individual selling bogus passports to raise funds for a sanctioned terrorist Palestinian organization, meaning Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as as such were did his sales constitute Providing Material Support to a designated terrorist entity ? Given the extensive Palestinian expat colony resident in Malta, and the Maltese government's pro-Palestinian foreign policy, that question must be asked. 

IS THE DEALTH PENALTY APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY IN THE DAPHNE/MALTA MONEY LAUNDERING CASE ?

While the present and former corrupt government officials targeted by US, UK and EU law enforcement consult with their lawyers, seeking to cheat justice, perhaps they require a reality check before taking a hard line, regarding extradition to the United States. Federal Criminal Law provides for the imposition of the Death Penalty in a number of cases,  especially where a murder occurs, whether it be a First Degree Murder,  a murder to prevent a potential witness from testifying, or a murder accomplished through an explosion.

 

                                                  Execution Chamber, USP Terre Haute
 

 I am sure that the extremely competent attorneys in the Depart of justice could easily acquire not only subject-matter jurisdiction, but also personal jurisdiction over Joseph Muscat and the other guilty parties to Daphne's assassination.The fact is that her murder was intended to deny her the ability to go public with massive corruption, some of which has a nexus with the United States financial system, thereby conferring jurisdiction upon US courts.

 Three years one, i see no clear path in Malta's courts to a trial of the named parties. Therefore, let the United States pick up the heavy lifting and prosecute the guilty. To make a statement that will be heard around the world by money launderers who will stop at nothing to accomplish their evil goals. China executes their money launderers; a contract assassination of an journalist certainly qualifies in the United States. Make an example out of Sig. Muscat, and perhaps his Mafia friends will pull out of Malta. 

 

I would like to be in the Visitors' Gallery at USP Terre Haute, when the prncipal actor of the Malta money laundering crew, Mr. Muscat, meets his Maker. I will wave at him through the curtain, and remind him of the consequences of evil.

 

MORE ON MALTA'S SECOND WHISTLE BLOWER

 

If you read our article on November 11th, you know that a second whistle blower has surfaced in the Republic of Malta, and that this individual has promised to deliver additional evidence which further implicates the Malta money laundering targets  We  are pleased to report that we have now established a secure line of communications with him. He properly fears that his life, and that of his family, will be in danger if his name is revealed, and we have agree to preserve his identity. Pleas note that this individual is not Maria Efimova, or any member of her family or associates.

As we have previously noted, we will not be able to release the information to this blog, as it is going directly to law enforcement, but we can disclose that the information he has includes evidence of the operations of  the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) inside Malta. We hope that the information hastens the conclusion of the American investigations currently in progress. We commend the whistle blower for his patriotism and courage.

J'ACCUSE JOSEPH MUSCAT ET ROBERT ABELLA

 

Guilty as charged

 

  Today I received a call from the Second Bravest Woman in Europe. Maria Efimova, who was recently charged with Perjury by Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abella's Labour Government, telephoned to tell me that her husband had been arrested  in Greece, where the whistle blower currently resides. This is no less than an attack upon the Rule of Law in the European Union, and it deserves to be broadcast in every EU capital city.

 Apparently, a bogus €40,000 case that was created against her in Cyprus, by allies of Malta's disgraced former PM Joseph Muscat, but which the EU refuses to execute against her , has been summarily extended to Efimova's husband, without an ounce of proof. According to reports, Maria's husband has never had any contact with any of the complaining parties, and therefore, the charges are completely political and without any factual basis.

 

Maria has legal counsel for her husband, and there is a court appearance scheduled for tomorrow. We hop that the European Parliament is not only aware of this bogus case, but is sending observers to the courtroom to witness. The case may make foreign legal observers judge Cyprus more corrupt than previously known, and if Malta''s corrupt government has that level of influence in certain quarters in Larnaca, that country is in serious trouble.

I accuse Joseph Muscat and Robert Abella of a continuing program of harassment against Maria Efimova, who probably has enough evidence stored in the Cloud to put both of those racketeers in prison of the rest of their lives. No wonder they fear her; She speaks truth to power.

 Gentlemen, when the time comes for your First Appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in Federal Court in Miami, after your extradition, rest assured  I will be in the audience to witness your fall from grace. I may even wave at you from the spectator's gallery. Govern yourselves accordingly.  

MUSCAT'S FATAL ERROR: DON'T STEP ON THE TAIL OF THE AMERICAN TIGER, OR YOU MAY END UP INSIDE IT

 

 

It may be appropriate, before the reasons are buried under the shock and awe of money laundering indictments of Maltese PEPs in American courts, to discuss why, at this particular stage, the United States chose to target Malta, whose corrupt government officials are hardly players in transnational crime.  After all, former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat counted upon Malta's minor position in the EU, and physical and geographical isolation from Continental Europe, to allow him to work with local organized crime operators with impunity.

But Muscat and his Labour associates, in their greed and conceit, and believing that they would continue to be ignored by the United States, committed two fatal errors:

(1) First, they allowed money launderers to move illicit Venezuelan millions, acquired at the expense of the people of Venezuela, into and through Malta. A number of Maltese entities were directly involved.

(2) Second, Malta's leaders allowed Pilatus Bank to operate as a full-time Iran sanctions oil-for-gold evasion scheme clearinghouse, including the repatriation of illicit Iranian petro-profits.

Any compliance officer knows that the proceeds of obscenely profitable Venezuelan currency exchange transactions of the Bolivarian elite, and laundered Iran sanctions evasion proceeds are two categories that are subject to immediate and extensive American law enforcement investigations. These two subjects are  a central part of American Foreign Policy, and any violations, no matter how small or obscure, must be explored, lest Venezuela and Iran government policy makers tumble to the whistle blower's identity.

The United States has a zero-tolerance policy on both  sanctioned Iranian and Venezuelan transactions; When Muscat's government blessed money laundering operations involving both countries' criminal elements, it came to the attention of global US law enforcement investigations, and the upcoming criminal charges against Maltese racketeers are the result. We live in a global economy, and no transaction, no matter how obscure, or how well it is hidden, operates outside it. That's why the American tiger is knocking on Malta's door, and it will get in, and take casaulties.

ARREST STOPPED MATTHIAS KRULL FROM MOVING HIS MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATION TO THE BAHAMAS

It does not appear anywhere in the Complaint or Information filed against Swiss banker Matthias Krull, but Krull was scheduled to join the Geneva-based Swiss private bank Gonet Bank & Trust ( Gont et Cie) in Nassau, Bahamas when he was arrested in the United States and charged with money laundering, Given Krull's central role in moving illicit Venezuelan funds, in dollars, into and through Malta, his imminent relocation, and the names of the other bankers who were making the move with him to Gonet, may provide some additional clues regarding which Maltese nationals have already been, or will be, indicted as the resukt of his testimony. Are those names in the Krull file document that the Court has ordered sealed for a year  ? Why only for one precise calendar anyway;  it could be related to a Rule 35(b) issue.

These are the other Julius Baer executives who were set to transfer to Gonet with Krull. It is not known what effect his US arrest had on their scheduled relocation.

(1) PATRICK FEUZ

(2) JEAN-MARC FELLAY

(3) PATRICK GUYE-BERGERET

(4) JUAN CARLOS HOFER

Has anyone in Malta seen any of these names, or met any of these bankers in person  at Pilatus Bank ? We invite your input.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF MALTA FROM KENNETH RIJOCK

 

 Lately, I have received a number of questions from our readers: who am I, why do I have such an intense interest in Malta, and what is the reason for my many articles. Allow me to fully answer allow those, so that readers understand why my background has driven me to focus upon Malta's critical issues each day, in blunt and graphic terms not generally seen in major media, and to offer an advance look into the Winds of Change that are fast approaching from the West, and the North, ahead of their arrival in Valletta. 

I come from a unique position when it comes to financial crime; having been literally involved on both sides of the problem. I started out as a young banking lawyer in Miami, but being extremely cynical due to my prior military service in Vietnam & Cambodia, I  then spent a decade as a career criminal, running a money laundering operation on behalf of American, Canadian and European  drug traffickers, operating in the tax havens of the Caribbean.

If you have read my autobiography, The Laundry Man, you know that while I was incarcerated, two members of the American law enforcement community turned me away from my criminal perspective, and back into the light, as no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution, a former money launderer applying my experience to help law enforcement catch those still engaged in that dark profession. I have been engaged in this quest for almost thirty years, as a consultant to the financial sector and the law enforcement and regulatory industry.

I have a special interest in the special evils presented by the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) passport program, going way back to the early 1980s, when St Kitts initiated passport sales.I  was actively involved in the SKN program, and know about its dangers.  If you read my blog entries from the last ten years, you will see my many articles exposing CBI corruption in the five East Caribbean States of Antigua, Dominica, St Kitts, St Lucia and Grenada. You will see how CBI consultancies trick greedy government officials into entering into agreements that favor the consultants, resulting in a culture of corruption that enriches the conspirators, at the expense of the people it was intended to benefit.

After seeing that Malta was trapped in the same CBI spider web as the East Caribbean States, I began investigating the money laundering activities of Malta's corrupt government officials. My existing contacts with the American law enforcement community have given me leads into ongoing criminal investigations targeting senior Maltese leaders, who have angered the American giant with their extensive laundering of illicit Iranian and Venezuelan money. it appears that American justice will now do what Malta's courts and law enforcement have, to date, refused to do.

I intend to continue to cover the developing criminal investigations that have originated in the US, UK, Italy, France and other EU countries, and subsequent indictments, and will be expanding my Malta coverage accordingly.We hope that our readers will extend financial support to the blog, to donate to support our program, and cover all the upcoming criminal proceedings in detail and in person. 

Thank you for your anticipated support.

KENNETH RIJOCK

 

ALI SADR ATTORNEYS REQUEST THAT US ATTORNEYS' FILINGS BE UNSEALED

 

 The attorneys for the defendant, Ali Sadr Hasheminejad, in a letter to the Court, noted that their client has filed their reply to the Court's September 16, 2020 Order under seal only because "it discusses declarations and exhibits that the Government has requested remain under seal." Counsel then requested that the Court unseal Sadr's letter, and the sealed declarations and exhibits filed by the Government.

Once again, we raise the issue: what's in those documents, irrespective of any disciplinary issues against the lawyers, that the Government is so obsessed with protecting ? It can only the identities of additional defendants, not currently within the grasp of the US Department of Justice, and who might flee if they knew they were targets. Given that Sadr was the owner Malta's now-defunct Pilatus Bank, the odds are good that those individuals are certain citizens and residents of the Republic of Malta that we have previously identified on this Blog. Those whom we have named should govern themselves accordingly. We trust that they have engaged American criminal defense counsel.

 

 

US SEEKING THREE FUGITIVE ARMENIAN-AMERICAN MONEY LAUNDERERS IN $30m FRAUD CASE

 

Three California money launderers evaded arrest recently, when nine of their associates in a thirty million dollar fraud case that raised money through fraudulent tax refunds were arrested in a major CDCA Identity Theft case.

Have you been banking any of these fugitives ?

(1) DAVIT ASOYAN, age 29, Grenada Hils,CA.

(2) NIKOGHOS PETROSYAN

(3) ALBERT ANDRIASOV, 28, Las Vegas, NV.

A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE READERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THIS BLOG AND ITS PURPOSE

 

To those readers who contributed this week to the "Donation" feature of this blog, we thank you. We hope to encourage more, so that we may raise enough to hire reporters to attend the hearings of the upcoming New York and D.C. criminal cases. .We shall be attending the Miami case ourselves, but we need help for full coverage. Also, we must have a qualified journalist available on standby to attend in Europe when those cases are filed in 2021.

Thank you for your continued support of Kenneth Rijock's Financial Crime Blog. Help us deliver the information, as it develops and unfolds, explaining the Malta Money Laundering Scandal.  Please continue to support us.

MALTA MONEY LAUNDERERS' SCHEME TO EVADE EXTRADITION TO THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE

 

A source with first-hand knowledge of the situation on the ground in Malta is claiming that the techniques intended to be used to keep the Maltese money launderers (Including Joseph Muscat)  from being extradited to the US is simple: the senior official in the Police, a known Labourite, will arrest all of them on local charges, before any American warrants are filed in Malta, and then employ some or all of these tactics:

(1) Delay  the setting of the case to trial. The Attorney General of Malta will state that so long as it is pending, the defendant cannot be extradited. The oldest trick in the book of corruption.

(2) Arbitrarily change the assigned judge; any new judge will, of course, request time to become familiar with the case. This adds months to the case.

(3) Replace the prosecutor, which also delays the matter.

(4) File appeals of all decisions that move the case towards trial.

(5) Delay court rulings on any pending pre-trial motions.

 

 

How will the United States, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and any other European countries achieve extradition of their targets ?  We will cover that topic in a future article, but rest assured, these countries have their successful methods. They will get their targets. The tactics you see above do not necessarily work; ask former Antigua regulator Leroy King, now awaiting sentencing in an American prison.

HOW MUCH OF THE BLAME FOR MALTA'S PILATUS BANK BELONGS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION ?

 

If the truth be known, a large portion of the blame for the issuance of the license to Malta's money laundering Pilatus Bank belongs to the European Union. Yes, I know Ali Sadr allegedly spread around his bribe funds amongst Malta's totally corrupt PL government, so as to guarantee approval of the application, and even fast-tracked it, but there's more to the story.

Listen, how on earth could the EU approve Pilatus' charter if the ownership, a thirty-something businessman from Iran ( first red flag) who had no banking education, training or experience (second red flag) drew its funding from dodgy transactions out of Venezuela, which were accomplished through Switzerland (third red flag), when Sadr used a St Kitts CBI passport for identification (fourth red flag) ? We haven't even gotten to the fact that Sadr's father, who is allegedly linked to massive financial crimes, played a role in the bank.

Question: Were any Maltese MEPs involved in fast-tracking the banking license application, and what did they do ? Was Malta's "Crime Minister" Joseph Muscat involved, as we have heard ?  Did any money change hands in Brussels ? Given Sadr's sordid history, it is a valid question, even in a place (the EU headquarters) not noted for corruption. This bank's charter should never have been granted, if we stock to established norms and generally accepted best practices.

                                                        Malta's Bonnie & Clyde

Add to this situation the letter-box (virtual) branch of Pilatus in London's pricey Mayfair district, with no actual staff, and you have a recipe for disaster. Perhaps the European Commission, which is so focused at this time upon the Maltese money laundering mess, might want to also look to its own house for violations.

HELP ME FINISH THE JOB -PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO ALLOW US TO EXPAND THIS BLOG

 

                                                         HELP ME FINISH THE JOB

Readers, we appreciate your interest. Please take a moment to assist us financially, to allow us to expand our coverage of the Malta money laundering scandal. As you know, several European countries have, since we started exposing the corruption and financial crime, opened their own criminal investigations, and we cannot adequately cover those matters from the United States.

 We also need to engage associates to update our readers, on a real-time basis, on the New York and Washington DC matters when they become active criminal cases.

Your assistance is welcomed; please access the Donate icon on the right-hand side of the page. Thank you.

READ MORE DOCUMENTS FROM 402 EAST 74TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY - BUTTIGIEG/MUSCAT CORRUPTION

  

Due to reader demand, we are publishing additional documents relating to the New York apartment corruption scandal that were deemed restricted by the Investigating Magistrate during his inquiry.  

 

 

A SECOND WHISTLEBLOWER SURFACES IN MALTA

 

We have been contacted by a second, hidden whistle blower from Malta, and we are preparing a new, important story for publication during the following week. His identity must remain confidential for reasons of safety, but he is eager to have his evidence see the light of day. The information, which reveals what is referred to as a "clearly criminal enterprise run by the government," involves additional white-collar crimes cognizable under American Federal Criminal Law. 

 We thank our readers for trusting us with their secrets.