Charles Polidano interrogated by police for corrupting senior official in private company

Updated at 10:15 with Polidano Group statement

Construction magnate Charles Polidano was arrested and interrogated on Friday morning over suspicions of money laundering and corruption. 

His lawyer, Jean Paul Sammut, confirmed to MaltaToday that Polidano was interrogated on Friday morning and is awaiting a decision by police on his release. 

MaltaToday is informed that he is suspected of having corrupted a senior official - allegedly the Chief Financial Officer - of a large private company based at the Malta Freeport through the sale of a property.

Polidano Group categorically denied any wrongdoing, in a statement sent to this newsroom, saying it was assisting the authorities to verify payments made to the company in 2014, involving a public deed.

“The Group is confident the authorities will be satisfied once these verifications have taken place. The Group will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities,” Polidano Group said.

Times of Malta reported that Polidano was taken in after extensive investigations into suspicions of money laundering and corruption. 

The newspaper reported that his son is also being held by police on the matter. 

This is not Polidano's first brush with the law. Last year, Polidano was interrogated by police on alleged threats, use of force, bodily harm and revenge porn.

Months before this, he was served with a number of court documents ordering him to pay a massive €40 million bill, some of which stretches back to the 1990s. 

In 2021 he was fined €22,000 over animal welfare breaches at his Montekristo Estates zoo in Siggiewi. He had initially pleaded not guilty but eventually filed an admission.