Christian Borg back in court over fraud, tax evasion, money laundering charges
Christian Borg of No Deposit Cars, his girlfriend Monique Mizzi, and company director Joe Camenzuli have been charged with defrauding “millions” in VAT and other taxes
Christian Borg of No Deposit Cars, his girlfriend Monique Mizzi, and company director Joe Camenzuli have been charged with defrauding “millions” in VAT and other taxes.
They were charged alongside a number of companies including Princess Construction Ltd, Princess Holdings Ltd, Princess Operations Ltd, Zing Rental Ltd, No Deposit Cars Ltd and Lion Funding Ltd.
Borg, 31, and Mizzi, 26, appeared in the dock, assisted by Lawyers Stephen Tonna Lowell, Albert Zerafa, and Ana Thomas. Also in the dock was Joe Camenzuli, in representation of the companies.
Police Inspectors Tonjoe Farrugia and Robert Azzopardi, assisted by prosecutors Francesco Refalo, Rebekah Spiteri, and Mauro Abela from the Office of the Attorney General charged the defendants with money laundering and criminal conspiracy. Borg and the companies were further charged with defrauding the Commissioner for Tax and making fraudulent gain to the detriment of the Government of Malta.
Police Inspector Tonjoe Farrugia explained that the charges followed an investigation into VAT fraud and tax evasion by Borg, both in his personal capacity as well as a number of companies in which Borg was either a director or shareholder.
The police had been asked to investigate by the VAT department due to “indications that Borg was filing invoices for hundreds of thousands of euros” on which he was receiving VAT refunds as they had been classed as expenses.
There was also an element of money laundering, added the inspector.
Cross-examined by Tonna Lowell, inspector Farrugia confirmed that a magisterial inquiry had been concluded and arrest warrants had been issued.
The court confirmed the validity of the arrest.
The prosecution requested a freezing order over all the assets of the defendants, in view of the money laundering charges. The prosecution said that a specific amount to be frozen would be submitted within 90 days.
Tonna Lowell acknowledged that the court’s hands were tied once the prosecution requests a freezing order, but said that negotiations had been ongoing for some time. Now that a freezing order over all the assets for at least 90 days was going to be issued, “everything was going to go to pot.”
This measure would be over and above other similar court orders that were already in place in connection with other cases, pointed out the lawyer.
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