Malta Gaming Authority issues statement on Iosif Galea arrest
The Malta Gaming Authority has issued a statement on former employee Iosif Galea.
Galea, a gaming consultant, has been the subject of extensive media attention after it emerged that he was arrested at an Italian airport in mid-May.
Italian authorities apprehended Galea at Brindisi airport as he arrived for a holiday, where he was set to join a group that included his partner and former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Since last year, Galea has been the subject of a European Arrest Warrant issued by German authorities, and subsequently of another European Arrest Warrant issued by the Maltese police.
The German warrant regarded alleged tax evasion, while the Maltese warrant was linked to alleged leaked information from the gaming regulator.
Galea, who currently heads his own consultancy company, was previously employed by the Malta Gaming Authority as a Compliance Officer.
The regulator today published a statement distancing itself from Galea and said: “The MGA would like to clarify that Mr Galea has not been employed with the Authority since March 2013. Mr Galea held the role of Compliance Officer between December 2007 and March 2013.”
Concerns have been raised as to why Galea was permitted to freely travel in and out of Malta without being arrested, despite the authorities being in possession of a European Arrest Warrant for over a year.
Galea has previously faced criminal allegations and was last year fined €53,333 ($56,710) for engaging in “unauthorised business activity,” being ordered to cease operating as a corporate services provider.
It is currently unclear whether Galea will be taken back to Malta or to face charges in Germany.
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