Court of Appeal Confirms Conviction of Former Malta Gaming Authority CEO

Court Reaffirms Ruling on Sensitive Information Disclosure

Earlier this week, Justice Neville Camilleri of the Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal filed by Heathcliff Farrugia, maintaining the decision made by a lower court.

Farrugia had been found guilty of leaking confidential information to Yorgen Fenech, a prominent casino operator, during a sensitive government investigation into Fenech’s business activities. Despite Farrugia’s efforts to challenge the ruling, the court reaffirmed the original sentence, ensuring that his three-year suspended sentence remains in effect.

Details of the Investigation into Farrugia and Fenech

The case against Farrugia stemmed from an extensive police investigation into his communications with Yorgen Fenech. In 2019, Fenech, who owned the Portomaso Casino in Malta, was unhappy with an ongoing money laundering investigation into his casino operations. Farrugia, as CEO of the MGA, attempted to soften the impact of the probe by delaying the release of the investigation report on Portomaso Casino until a similar report on a rival operator, Eden Leisure Group, was ready for release.

The investigation revealed that Farrugia had exchanged a series of text messages with Fenech in which they discussed the probe. These communications, spanning 24 pages, became key evidence in the case against Farrugia. Following questioning by police in late 2020, Farrugia resigned from his position as the head of the MGA.

While Heathcliff Farrugia’s conviction relates to the disclosure of sensitive information, Yorgen Fenech is embroiled in a far more serious criminal investigation. Fenech is a key suspect in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a prominent investigative journalist who was assassinated in a car bomb attack in 2017. Caruana Galizia had been investigating corruption within the Maltese government, including a controversial contract awarded to one of Fenech’s companies, Electroglas, for the development of a power plant.

In 2019, Fenech was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder Caruana Galizia. Although Fenech denies orchestrating the assassination, three individuals have already been convicted in connection with the murder. The ongoing trial of Fenech has attracted widespread attention both in Malta and abroad, as it touches on issues of corruption and political influence in the country.