Police investigations are underway at Identity Malta over alleged commissions from the citizenship-by-investment scheme. 

The Shift News revealed that a police spokesperson confirmed the claim and the current investigation. 

According to the report, senior officials at Identity Malta were passing on details of clients who acquired Maltese citizenship to a real estate agency. 

It is claimed that the officials received thousands in commissions whenever the passport buyers bought and rented a property with the agency. The commissions were hidden through bonds.

Launched by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in 2013, the Individual Investor Programme allowed foreign nationals to purchase Maltese citizenship at a cost of €650,000. Family members of buyers are then allowed to purchase passports at €50,000, a fraction of the price.

The scheme has long been controversial with issues over transparency raising concerns. 

IIP has been at the centre of major corruption allegations, particularly in the case of suspected kickbacks involving former Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri, Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna, and Karl Cini.

What do you think of the investigation?