Enough prima facie evidence to indict Adrian Hillman with financial crimes, court rules
Adrian Hillman received more than €1m in backhanders from a 'vitiated' printing press deal involving Keith Schembri, the court hears as the compilation of evidence against him gets underway
Adrian Hillman received more than €1 million in backhanders through complex money transfers involving offshore companies belonging to Keith Schembri, a court heard today.
In today’s first sitting of the compilation of evidence against him, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech ruled there was enough prima facie evidence to indict Hillman on various financial crimes, including money laundering and bribery.
Hillman was managing director at Allied Newspapers when the group decided to build a new printing press in Mrieħel and source the equipment from Schembri’s Kasco Group.
Inspector Joseph Xerri from the police’s anti-money laundering unit testified that experts who were appointed to analyse money transactions by the inquiring magistrate concluded that the backhanders were disguised as commissions.
He said that the machines were overvalued with several people, including Hillman and Schembri, benefitting from the ‘profit’.
A spreadsheet had been found on the servers of the Kasco Group, detailing how the money would be split between the beneficiaries.
According to a blueprint, Hillman, a Noel Galea from Progress, and Kasco’s Simon Poulton and Malcolm Scerri had to receive funds from the sale of a particular machine to Progress.
Xerri said Hillman’s investment account with MFSP, later renamed Zenith, only received funds from Schembri.
During cross-examination, Hillman’s defence lawyer Stefano Filletti asked the inspector whether he was aware that the decision to buy the printing machines was taken by several boards at Progress and not by Hillman alone.
“Yes, but the process was vitiated,” Xerri replied.
The inspector explained that Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna and Karl Cini fabricated documents to justify certain payments with the magisterial inquiry describing them as “professional money launderers”.
The magisterial inquiry started in 2017 when then Opposition leader Simon Busuttil filed a criminal complaint on claims that Hillman had received backhanders from then OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri over the purchase of printing equipment.
At the time of the printing press investment, Schembri was not a public official.
Hillman was extradited from the UK last week and charged in court. He was granted bail.
Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech is presiding. Stefano Filletti and Maurice Meli are defence counsel, while lawyer Maria Claire Ellul is parte civile for Progress Press and Allied Newspapers.
Inspector Joseph Xerri is prosecuting, aided by lawyers Antoine Agius Bonnici, Andrea Zammit and Sean Xerri DeCaro from the Attorney General's office.
RS Paper Supplies would be used to cover up payments to Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman. Kurt Sansone