Updated | Adrian Hillman’s consultancy contracts with Malta Gaming Authority terminated

Updated at 1.15pm with Adrian Hillman reaction

Adrian Hillman's consultancy contracts with the Malta Gaming Authority have been terminated, Parliamentary Secretary Clayton Bartolo announced.

Taking to social media, Bartolo said this was to show “zero tolerance” to anyone who sought to “tarnish the industry’s reputation.”

Bartolo said that Hillman, a former Allied Newspapers managing director, had been taking payments intended for a private company through consultancies from the gaming authority.  

In 2019, the MGA had appointed Hillman to manage its reputation, however, at the same time, he was himself subject of a magisterial inquiry on claims of money laundering.

“I've ordered this contract to be terminated immediately as a show of zero tolerance to potentially damaging behaviour to such a crucial industry," Bartolo said.

Hilman had resigned from his post as managing director of Allied Newspapers, publishers of Times of Malta, a short period after his name showed up in the Panama Papers leaks. The leaks showed that Hillman owned multiple secret companies in the British Virgin Islands.

Adrian Hillman reacts

In a strongly-worded statement released on Friday afternoon, Hillman said that he failed to understand Clayton Bartolo’s position, describing his tweet as a personal attack.

Hillman said Bartolo's predecessor, former parliamentary secretary Silvio Schembri - now economy minister - was aware of his role with the MGA. He also accused Bartolo of making a libellous statement.

"While he has every right to execute his role as he sees appropriate, his methods do not befit a politician in his position. In making a public statement full of insinuations, he is attempting to destroy a single individual. To him, I am guilty by association with members within his own party. He must be conscious that his predecessor was cognisant of my role over the past years. My understanding is that what he is saying is libellous. He must therefore retract and clarify his statement. I will be acting accordingly."