The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has decided against investigating Nationalist MEP David Casa for misuse of funds, despite his former aide warning the MEP used to cook the books to claim a bigger budget.

“OLAF conducted a preliminary analysis of the available information regarding this specific matter, after which it decided not to open an investigation as there was not sufficient evidence of fraud or irregularities to justify the opening of an investigation,” an OLAF spokesperson told Lovin Malta.

“However, should OLAF become aware of new information of potential investigative interest, these new aspects can be analysed by the office anytime.”

Back in October, Casa’s aide, who has remained anonymous, wrote to OLAF to request to share information about how his former employer had allegedly abused European Parliament funds. According to MaltaToday, the aide claimed Casa had inflated his salary by some €40,000 in a move that allowed him to use the money for other purposes.

“I never pocketed the full amount of this deliberately inflated salary,” the aide wrote. “The reason for this: the money was retained by the paying agent working for [Casa] and utilised for other purposes.”

To back up his argument, he provided OLAF with tax records from 2006 to 2012, which allegedly show that his official salary was over €100,000, even more than the €92,000 annual salary earned by MEPs themselves.

The aide in question was the same person who famously accused Casa of having a cocaine habit, claiming the MEP used to consume up to €700 worth of cocaine on the weekend while surrounded by his friends and aides at hotels in Attard and St Julian’s.

Casa denounced all his former aide’s allegations as nonsense as “part of a concerted effort to destabilise him”, but has not sued him or MaltaToday, claiming this would be a waste of precious time.

The Times of Malta later reported that the letter was written on MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan’s own computer and sent to Casa’s aide the night before the story went to print. Casa used this piece of information to discredit the allegations but Balzan said he did this to give the whistleblower maximum credibility and that it doesn’t change anything from the substance of the story.

In a tweet today, Balzan said he stands by the story and will provide evidence on both Casa’s cocaine habits and his use of EU funds and salaries.

Cover photo: David Casa with Turkish journalist Pelin Ünker in Malta last weekend

READ NEXT: ‘Threatening’ Facebook Comment Against PN MEP David Casa Lands Man In Court

Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]