Degiorgio brothers guilty of money laundering, jailed for four years

A court has convicted brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio on charges of money laundering and recidivism, sentencing them to imprisonment for four years and fining each of them €25,000.

Anca Adelina Pop, George Degiorgio's Romanian wife was acquitted of all charges.

The Degiorgio brothers were each jailed for 40 years last year after admitting to having murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia at the start of their trial by jury.

Some 63 witnesses testified during the course of the money laundering proceedings.

In a meticulously researched 91-page judgement, Magistrate Joe Mifsud conducted a detailed examination of the way money laundering is dealt with under Maltese law and legal doctrines established in other jurisdictions.

Money laundering is dealt with differently to other crimes, explained the magistrate. Silence on the part of the accused is not a defence against such charges, as the law places the onus on them to prove the legitimacy of the origins of their wealth.

Brothers George Degiorgio and Alfred Degiorgio were convicted of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia last year after admitting guilt

Between them the brothers owned several luxury cars: a Mercedes, an Audi and a Corvette, as well as two boats: the Maya and the Ducu.

The court noted that between 2009 and 2019 Alfred Degiorgio had gambled some €600,000 in three separate casinos in Malta, but had declared no income. Between 2002 and 2018 he had received €20,596.95 in social benefits. No companies were registered in his name.

With regards to George Degiorgio, it was observed that he was last registered as employed in 1982. Despite this, he held bank accounts with major banks and would pay his two children’s school fees. He had purchased the boat Maya in 2017 for €30,000 and had paid in cash. The vessel was registered in Alfred’s Degiorgio name.

George Degiorgio owned another boat, the Ducu, as well as an Audi A4. A Mitsubishi L200 and BMW360D had been registered in his name between 2013 and 2016.

A Corvette C7 convertible was effectively in George’s control despite being in Pop’s name.

Between 2002 and 2018, he had received €104,600 in social benefits. He was not registered as a taxpayer and had no VAT number.

The court noted that, unlike the other two defendants, Pop had exhibited clear evidence of the provenance of her wealth. She had received a €35,000 divorce settlement from her ex-husband and would also receive alimony. The purchase of her Audi A4 had mostly been financed by her father, who continued to provide his daughter with financial assistance, particularly from 2016 to date, observed the magistrate.

The magistrate said he could not serenely arrive at the same conclusion as that reached for the other two defendants, and acquitted her of the charges.

The Degiorgio brothers were convicted of both charges. The recidivism conviction prevented the court from imposing the minimum punishment, said the magistrate, jailing them for four  years imprisonment and imposing a €25,000 fine on both of them.

The court also ordered the confiscation of the luxury cars and boats they owned and ordered the brothers to suffer the costs of the case.

The brothers are understood to intend to appeal the judgement

Inspector Lianne Bonello prosecuted.