Cars and boats of Nexia BT officials listed in court as money laundering case continues

A list of vehicles and boats owned by Nexia BT officials, who are accused of money laundering, was presented in court yesterday morning by a Transport Malta employee.

The compilation of evidence against the accused continued on Tuesday in front of Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech.

Former Nexia BT partner Karl Cini currently has two vehicles registered under his name, while in the past, he enjoyed ownership of eight vehicles.

With one car to his name, Manuel Castagna owned two vehicles in the past. Katrin Bondin Carter, the financial controller for Nexia BT, is also in possession of one vehicle, and had two vehicles registered under her name in the past.

Former Nexia BT partner Brian Tonna does not have any vehicles registered in his name, but did in the past have six registered cars. He also used to own a boat, named Tranquility, which was eventually transferred onto someone else’s name in 2018.

Copies of the bills of sales were presented in court as proof of this ownership.

Earlier in the hearing, police officials testified against the accused, describing the searches conducted on their personal properties and business offices.

Superintendent Frank Tabone, who testified in a separate court hearing earlier this week against Keith Schembri and his business associates, explained that a magisterial inquiry, concluded in September last year, sparked further investigation into Nexia BT partners and former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri.

That same month, a search and arrest warrant was issued against Schembri together with Cini, Tonna, and Castagna. Several mobile phones and electronics were seized from their properties.

All four were eventually interrogated later in September, with Brian Tonna and Karl Cini refusing to answer questions posed by police as they wanted more time to evaluate the inquiry’s conclusions.

Schembri similarly said that he would be standing by his testimony during the previous magisterial inquiry.

The case continues.