Two men plead guilty over visa scam as police investigate wider racket

A visa scam luring people to part with thousands of euros in the hope of obtaining Maltese work visas has landed two men with criminal convictions, as part of a wider police investigation into the racket.

The men, one 48 from Vietnam, the other 41, from the Philippines, both admitted to having made false declarations to the immigration authorities and to using forged identity documents.

Phong Thanh Nguyen and Caraan Banjeelon appeared in the dock in separate arraignments before Magistrate Victor Axiak on Friday.

Phong was arrested yesterday at Identità (formerly Identity Malta) after going to file an application for a residence permit. Officials at the agency suspected that the house number written on the lease contract he submitted had been tampered with. This turned out to be true, but it was also noted that the lease contract he presented had not been signed by the person mentioned in the contract.

The lease contract had been tampered with at least three times, said prosecuting police inspector Jonathan Ransley.

Lawyer Jose Herrera, representing the defendant together with lawyer David Camilleri, informed the court that the defendant would be pleading guilty.

Phong then confirmed his admission of guilt.

Making submissions on punishment, Inspector Ransley told the court that while he understood the hardship which prompted the men to break the law, a crime had taken place. The inspector did not insist on incarceration but asked that Phong be deported immediately.

Herrera argued that his client was a “victim of the system.” 

“People can come to Malta through employment agencies, who promise them jobs. They arrive and find there is no job. Then they have to apply for a visa and it takes months to be issued. They spend €3,000, €4000 to come here then find themselves with no income or place to stay. In their desperation they start to look for shortcuts and then mistakes happen.”

“This system must be fixed,” said the lawyer, telling the court that many similar cases were happening at the moment.

“I think he has gone through enough trauma,” remarked the lawyer, suggesting a suspended sentence followed by deportation as the ideal punishment.

Phong was declared guilty as charged and condemned to imprisonment for six months, which were suspended for two years. He will be deported immediately.

Banjeelon was the next to be arraigned and also pleaded guilty and also received a six month sentence suspended for two years. The court imposed a ban on the reporting of certain aspects of the investigation.

Lawyer Maria Karlsson represented Banjeelon as legal aid counsel.