Keith Schembri

Keith Schembri, a prominent Maltese businessman and former chief of staff to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, has been embroiled in multiple scandals, investigations, and criminal charges over recent years. His career has been marked by allegations of corruption, money laundering, fraud, and misconduct, particularly linked to Malta’s political and financial scandals. Schembri resigned from his government post on 26 November 2019 amid the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation and widespread political crises, which included protests demanding his resignation (Wikipedia). He has been directly implicated in several high-profile allegations, including his involvement in the Panama Papers leak in 2016, which revealed his ownership of offshore companies such as Tillgate Inc and Hearnville Inc, linked to Mossack Fonseca. These revelations prompted calls for his resignation and led to sanctions by the United States Department of State in December 2021, citing his involvement in "significant corruption" (Wikipedia). Schembri has also faced multiple criminal charges, including corruption, money laundering, and fraud, with investigations pointing to illicit financial activities such as passing €650,000 in bribes to Adrian Hillman, former managing director of Malta’s Allied Newspapers, and alleged involvement in the sale of passports with kickback schemes. In 2021, he was denied bail and held at Corradino Correctional Facilities, facing ongoing court proceedings (MaltaToday). Further allegations include interference in police investigations into the 17 Black offshore company and the Panama Papers, with inquiry reports concluding that Schembri used his influence to impede investigations into corruption and money laundering linked to high-level figures and business interests. In 2026, Schembri was formally charged with multiple financial crimes, including money laundering, corruption, and forgery, and remains under judicial process, with ongoing investigations into his financial dealings and political conduct (Times of Malta). Throughout these proceedings, Schembri has denied many of the allegations, and some charges are still under investigation or pending court decisions.