The Maltese government is considering expanding a controversial passports-for-sale scheme that was the target of investigation by a high-profile journalist before her murder on the Mediterranean island last year.
The scheme that opens up citizenship to oligarchs from Russia and the Middle East has been criticised by the European Union lawmakers because of concerns it would turn the country into a money-laundering centre.
The project was a target of Daphne Caruana Galizia, an outspoken journalist murdered when her car was bombed in October 2017. She had claimed that politicians were involved in kickbacks from the scheme, allegations denied by the government.
Under the scheme, a non-EU citizen can secure a Maltese passport on terms including payment of 650,000 euros to a national fund, investments in property on the island and a year-long residency. Some 1,200 families have applied under the scheme, according to government figures.
Those who have taken advantage of the scheme include Christopher Chandler, the investor behind the London thinktank Legatum that has been one of the most vocal backers of Brexit, according to the FT.
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A list published in December of new Maltese citizens also included Russian billionaires and around 22 per cent of those who applied in the last recorded year were from the Gulf and Middle East regions, according to the programme’s regulator. The private company behind the scheme, Henley and Partners, has received more than 19 million euros from the scheme, according to the regulator.
The Maltese government said that it had received more than 590 million euros from the scheme since it began in 2014 when the numbers were capped at 1,800. It asked in the consultation whether the cap should be increased or the terms changed.
Maltese campaigners say the programme has increased the cost of housing on the island and released its own survey of the scheme as a riposte to the government.
Ana Gomes, a senior figure in the European parliament’s investigation into the Panama Papers, said that the scheme was a “system geared to fostering corruption.”
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
