Nexia BT’s  owner Brian Tonna has called the former FIAU Director who authored a damning report into his alleged passport kickbacks scheme with Keith Schembri a “liar” who forms part of a wider agenda against him.

After Manfred Galdes confirmed under oath to the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry that he had submitted a suspicious transactions report on the issue to then-Police Commissioner Michael Cassar, Tonna sent a statement to Lovin Malta, which said:

“I emphasise that the transactions in question are currently subject to a separate magisterial inquiry led by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, and once again categorically deny any wrongdoing.”

Around two hours later, Tonna sent a muddled reply accusing the newsroom of protecting a “liar”.

“Sending your portal the email you must have missed unless you are doing this to protect a liar who is part of your network’s agenda to keep the truth away from the people. After all your boss seems to still believe that Egrant inquiry came to a false conclusion instead of seeking who forged documents like journalists should do!” Tonna wrote.

Lovin Malta then asked Tonna whether he would be willing to give his own version of events surrounding the transactions. However, he declined to do so, saying he was only interested in “having his press statement published”.

The report concerns two bank transactions of €50,000 each from a British Virgin Islands (BVI) registered company owned by Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna to Keith Schembri’s bank account at Pilatus Bank.

The payment came just as Nexia BT received payments from three Russian passport buyers, with the FIAU believing there was sufficient evidence to establish reasonable suspicion of money laundering and/ or the existence of proceeds of crime.

Schembri and Tonna have denied the claims and have said Tonna was merely repaying back a personal loan. However, authorities are yet to locate a receipt of the initial loan payment.

Three weeks after receiving the report, Police Commissioner Michael Cassar resigned from his post, citing ill health. Galdes quit a few months later.

Tonna and Nexia BT proved to be controversial figures during Joseph Muscat’s tenure, having set up the Panamanian offshore companies belonging to Schembri, Konrad Mizzi, and ‘Egrant’. The accountancy firm also received millions in direct orders, while Tonna was also able to acquire a government role.