Lalit Kumar Modi, the Indian operator wanted in his own country for fraud, kickbacks and money-laundering, has bought Maltese citizenship through Mossack Fonseca (Malta).

Mossack Fonseca (Malta) is a franchise of Mossack Fonseca, the Panamian law firm, and is 100% owned by Brian Tonna of Nexia BT. His associate in the company is a certain Karl Cini. Tonna is a very close associate of Keith Schembri, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, and has been his business accountant for many years, setting up secret asset-concealing companies for him in the British Virgin Islands along the way. Tonna is now in the eye of the Panamagate storm because he set up companies in Panama and trusts in New Zealand for Schembri and for Konrad Mizzi, a cabinet minister, when he was fully aware that they are politically exposed persons (PEPs) under the law.

Lalit Modi fled India with his family some years ago when he faced investigation and prosecution for his involvement in match-fixing, kickbacks, corruption, bribery and money-laundering, moving to London. In 2010, the government of India withdrew his passport, leaving him unable to travel. He applied to buy a Maltese passport and Maltese citizenship under the incoming Labour government’s 2013 ‘sale of Maltese citizenship’ programme.

UPDATED/In 2014, Modi obtained temporary travel documents from the British government, with the help of Labour MP Keith Vaz. He first travelled to Malta in August that year. Last August, Lalit Modi travelled to Malta again using his temporary travel documents and was met at the airport ministerial lounge by a driver and car from the Office of the Prime Minister, who whisked him off. This would be when he collected his Maltese passport/citizenship, as the law says it must be collected in person.

Modi tweeted from various locations in Malta, provoking outrage in the Indian press, which demanded to know why he was in Malta and why the Malta police had failed to detain him. While he was in Malta, Modi also retweeted (to his roughly one million followers) Keith Schembri’s tweet about lower gas prices and Joseph Muscat’s tweet about Joseph Calleja’s summer concert.

I have just tried to reach Joe Vella Bonnici, chief of Identity Malta, to ask him about this matter, but Vella Bonnici has my number registered in his phone and never takes it when I ring. I have, however, sent him a message asking him to confirm that wanted man Lalit Modi has been sold Maltese citizenship. He is ignoring that, too.

Take a look at this Instagram account and note the one which says “Diplomatic relations with Identity Malta” accompanied by a picture of the Identity Malta signage. The actual photo with interesting comments is here. Ruchir Modi is Lalit Modi’s son.