Alleged conman Patrick Spiteri allowed to travel on work trips abroad

Taxation guru who fled to England and is facing allegations of €7.4 million fraud in Malta, will be allowed to travel

Patrick Spiteri had recently found employment with a UK-based company as the defence told the court that this would require him to travel
Patrick Spiteri had recently found employment with a UK-based company as the defence told the court that this would require him to travel "every so often"

Disbarred lawyer and alleged conman Patrick Spiteri has been allowed to travel abroad for work purposes - whilst on €40,000 bail for allegedly defrauding millions from his clients - after a court was told that his reputation was so damaged that he was unemployable in Malta.

Spiteri had been arrested in Surrey, England in 2014 and extradited to Malta on serious fraud and misappropriation charges. The 55-year-old former tax law guru had been living in the UK in a €4 million country estate set over 15 acres of land, evading the Maltese authorities who wanted him to face allegations of fraud and misappropriation of some €7.4 million dating back to the early 2000s.

After absconding to the UK, Spiteri was extradited to Malta in 2017 on seven separate European Arrest Warrants.

But since then, no progress had been registered in his case. For a time, proceedings had been derailed by Spiteri’s claim to be suffering from Behcet’s syndrome and attempts by his defence to have him held under house arrest due to the hundreds of volumes of documents he claimed to require to prepare his defence. He was eventually granted bail on condition that he does not leave his home.

In a previous sitting, Magistrate Josette Demicoli heard several witnesses, including partners in local firms, Maltese businessmen and his own family members saying that they would not employ Spiteri due to the negative impact this would have on their business’ reputation.

Spiteri had recently found employment with a UK-based company, but the court was told that this would require him to travel “every so often”. His lawyer, Stefano Filletti had asked the court to grant him permission to do so.

In a decree handed down on September 2, Magistrate Demicoli upheld Spiteri’s request. The court allowed him to travel for work-related purposes for five working days every third week of the month. Before going abroad he must supply the police with his travel itinerary and upon his return. His bail conditions are to remain in force during his time abroad, bar the requirement that he sign a bail book.

Spiteri was ordered to leave a refundable deposit of €7000 in court every time he goes abroad.