{"id":4671,"date":"2023-05-30T05:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T05:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slategray-wallaby-310340.hostingersite.com\/index.php\/2023\/05\/30\/former-malta-pm-muscat-accused-of-receiving-payments-to-save-casino-millions\/"},"modified":"2023-05-30T05:35:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T05:35:02","slug":"former-malta-pm-muscat-accused-of-receiving-payments-to-save-casino-millions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2023\/05\/30\/former-malta-pm-muscat-accused-of-receiving-payments-to-save-casino-millions\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Malta PM Muscat Accused of Receiving Payments to Save Casino Millions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Joseph Muscat, the former prime minister of Malta, is the subject of new allegations that he was given a sizable monthly consulting contract by a business connected to the owner of the Dragonara casino. The Times of <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/casino-news\/gaming-powerhouse-igt-secures-contract-with-maltas-national-lottery\/\">Malta<\/a> reported that Muscat began receiving monthly payments of \u20ac11,800 ($12,300) as part of a yearlong consulting agreement worth \u20ac141,600 ($151,500) with an organization that deals with exotic birds owned by casino magnate Johann Schembri. This agreement saved the casino millions by taking place at the same time as the casino\u2019s property lease extension.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/mirax.partners\/a5279d0cf\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"Mirax Casino\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mirax-Casino.png\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/mirax.partners\/a5279d0cf\" title=\"Mirax Casino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mirax Casino<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong>350% or 5BTC + <strong>150 Spins!<\/strong><\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Welcome Bonus &#8211; 350% bonus on your first deposit up to 5BTC\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/mirax.partners\/a5279d0cf\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Questionable Connection to Exotic Bird Company<\/h3>\n<p>According to reports, Muscat started receiving the hefty payments just nine months after Schembri\u2019s property lease agreement for the Dragonara casino was extended. The lease renewal, which Muscat oversaw while serving as prime minister, included 64 additional years without a public bidding procedure and considerable savings in yearly ground rent payments. According to the charges, the favorable treatment of the casino in the lease agreement may be related to Muscat\u2019s consulting agreement with Schembri\u2019s exotic bird company.<\/p>\n<h3>Dubious Financials of the Exotic Bird Company<\/h3>\n<p>The company in question, Organicum, specializes in rearing exotic birds and creating organic products, according to documents obtained by the media. Its limited operations, which include only two employees and significant losses in 2020 and 2021, have prompted questions, though. Further doubts are raised about the company\u2019s ability to maintain such a lucrative advisory contract for Muscat given that its declared biological assets are worth \u20ac100,000 ($107,000).<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"7Bit Casino\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7BitCasino.png\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"7Bit Casino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">7Bit Casino<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong>100% up to 5BTC + 100 <strong>\u00a0Free Spins<\/strong>!<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Welcome Bonus &#8211; 100% bonus on your first deposit up to 5BTC\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Denials and Counterarguments<\/h3>\n<p>Joseph Muscat declined to respond when asked about the consultancy deal but denied doing anything improper. Instead, he criticised the media for making an effort to disparage respectable work. Johann Schembri, on the other hand, defended the consulting agreement and claimed that it was unrelated to the agreement with the Dragonara casino. He vigorously refuted any allegations to the contrary, claiming that Muscat was never given consulting fees by Dragonara Gaming Limited, the business that holds the casino concession.<\/p>\n<h3>Additional Corruption Probe and Schembri\u2019s Role<\/h3>\n<p>Muscat is already a target of a corruption inquiry for a different regular consulting arrangement he has with the Swiss firm Accutor AG. The contract, at \u20ac15,000 ($16,050), is believed to have served as a cover for kickbacks in connection with Steward Healthcare Malta\u2019s 2018 acquisition of Vitals hospitals. Johann Schembri, a well-known name in the gambling industry, occupies an important position there. The management of the Maltese national lottery was given to his umbrella business, IZI Group, last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"7Bit Casino\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7BitCasino.png\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"7Bit Casino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">7Bit Casino<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong>100% up to 5BTC + 100 <strong>\u00a0Free Spins<\/strong>!<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Welcome Bonus &#8211; 100% bonus on your first deposit up to 5BTC\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/7bit.partners\/a7b8d58a2\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/casino-news\/former-malta-pm-muscat-accused-of-receiving-payments-to-save-casino-millions\/\">Former Malta PM Muscat Accused of Receiving Payments to Save Casino Millions<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/\">iGaming.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Joseph Muscat, the former prime minister of Malta, is the subject of new allegations that he was given a sizable monthly consulting contract by a business connected to the owner of the Dragonara casino. The Times of Malta reported that Muscat began receiving monthly payments of \u20ac11,800 ($12,300) as part of a yearlong consulting agreement [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":6}},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4671\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}