[WATCH] Suspended passport sellers got to use Castille for their promotional video

The suspended passport seller who boasted of his high-profile connections had the luxury of using the Office of the Prime Minister – the Auberge de Castille – as the backdrop to promote the sale of citizenship under the Individual Investor Programme.

In a Facebook video first flagged by Lovin Malta, both parliamentary secretary for citizenship Julia Farrugia Portelli, and the Malta IIP Agency’s CEO Jonathan Cardona, star in this promotional video for Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates.

The law firm, which had two licenses to sell Maltese citizenship, was suspended from the IIP after being secretly recorded telling an undercover journalist he could use his contacts with the prime minister and Farrugia Portelli, to push forward problematic applicants.

Julia Farrugia Portelli, and Jonathan Cardona both starred in the promotional video

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The secret footage shows one of Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates representatives, allegedly Jean Philippe Chetcuti, explain how authorities would “close an eye” to buyers with a criminal record.

In their promotional video, Farrugia Portelli and Cardona promote the IIP scheme together with Malta Residency Visa Agency CEO Roderick Cutajar, before Jean Philippe Chetcuti gets his turn in front of the camera, in one of the OPM’s halls. “Malta is an international hub of substance,” Chetcuti says, listing his firm’s portfolio.

Both Joseph Muscat and Farrugia Portelli have claimed to have had “no relationship whatsoever with the firm”, limiting their acquaintance to a passing friendship on the school bus.