As the money laundering case against former Allied Newspapers CEO Adrian Hillman continues, the court hears how the company’s accounts were ‘convoluted’ but ‘above board’
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Adrian Hillman received more than €1m in backhanders from a 'vitiated' printing press deal involving Keith Schembri, the court hears as the compilation of evidence against him gets underway
Enough prima facie evidence to indict Adrian Hillman with financial crimes, court rules
Adrian Hillman received more than €1m in backhanders from a vitiated printing press deal involving Keith Schembri, the court hears as the compilation of evidence against him gets underway
3 June 2021, 12:46pm
by Matthew Agius
Adrian Hillman received more than €1 million in backhanders through complex money transfers involving offshore companies belonging to Keith Schembri, a court heard today.
In today’s first sitting of the compilation of evidence against him, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech ruled there was enough prima facie evidence to indict Hillman on various financial crimes, including money laundering and bribery.
A straightforward purchase of printing machinery became a convoluted process to cover up backhanders, a police inspector said on Monday, shortly before Adrian Hillman was put under a bill of indictment.
The compilation of evidence against Hillman started on Thursday, with the former Allied Newspapers managing director facing accusations of financial crimes.
Hillman was charged last Saturday after being extradited from the UK on Friday.
He is being accused of money laundering, conspiracy to commit a crime, defrauding Progress Press, making fraudulent gain, making a false declaration to a public authority, as well as accepting bribes.
Testifying in the compilation of evidence against Hillman, Inspector Joseph Xerri said that he and former Progress Press chairman Vincent Buhagiar, who is facing similar but separate proceedings, conspired to defraud the company that employed them.