Police Delve Deep Into Marsaxlokk Priest’s Finances And Assets Which Raised Money Laundering Alarm
Details of the police’s case against Marsaxlokk parish priest Fr Luke Seguna emerged in court today as an inspector revealed why they believe he may have been laundering money.
Inspector Christopher Ellul said police started investigating the popular priest in March after they were alerted to “suspicious” transactions.
Delving further, they found out that Fr Seguna had deposited €449,000 into 10 different bank accounts that were registered in his name between 2016 and 2022.
Police were suspicious because the priest only earned a salary of €16,204 in 2016, which rose to €20,613 in 2022, and didn’t benefit from any inheritance funds.
With a total pre-tax salary of around €75,000 in those seven years, this left a €374,000 discrepancy in his accounts.
In addition to his bank accounts, police also noted that the priest had acquired five motorcycles, a Land Rover and a Fiat 500 in those years, as well as a garage in Paola that he acquired through a Curia loan scheme.
Fr Seguna told police that his only additional income came through personal donations from couples whose weddings he celebrated, as well as donations form family members.
Inspector Ellul said police grew suspicious at a particular bank, which was called ‘Masses’ and which around contained around €80,000.
Fr Seguna told police that this was the word that sprung to his mind when the bank asked him to name the account.
Fr Seguna said that the money inside the ‘Masses’ account were his personal funds and that out of the €107,000 he withdrew from it over the years, €52,000 were cash withdrawals, while €9,000 were spent at supermarkets and some €7,000 at restaurants and establishments.
The priest has been kept in prison with his lawyers Matthew Xuereb and Jose Herrera requesting that a bail decision be taken after a sitting next Wednesday, when a number of civilian witnesses are set to testify.
What do you make of this case?