Maria Efimova, who blew the whistle on alleged corruption and money laundering at Pilatus Bank where she worked, has asked manueldelia.com to publish her letter to Claude-Anne Sant Fournier, her former colleague at the bank.
Claude-Anne Sant Fournier is Head of Legal and Compliance at Pilatus Bank.
The Bank’s website says she leads Pilatus Bank’s legal team and is responsible for regulatory affairs and compliance. Prior to joining the bank, Dr. Sant Fournier specialized in anti-money laundering and regulatory compliance during her tenure at KPMG, where she advised and assisted local and foreign banks with compliance to Maltese and the European Union regulatory frameworks. She also has extensive experience in civil and criminal litigation since graduating as a lawyer.
In her letter to Claude-Anne Sant Fournier, Maria Efimova reminds her of the personal bond of trust they had while they worked together. Maria Efimova tells Claude-Anne Sant Fournier she understands she may be scared. “But my soul is not for sale and I sincerely hope that yours is not either”.
The letter in full follows:
“Dr. Sant Fournier,
I am sorry to address you through the media, unfortunately, there is no other way.
I would ask you to remember the days I was taking care of your baby child when you had no one to do it for you. Those days you certainly believed I was a person to be trusted, since you were entrusting the most precious of yours.
You lost you mother, God rest her soul. You know how it hurts.
Imagine the pain of losing your mother in a most dreadful way. Imagine the pain of losing your mother and to not be allowed to attend her funeral.
The people you are working for are foreigners to Malta, foreigners who were often treating their employees, among them your own compatriots, in a very disrespectful and humiliating manner.
You may be scared, I understand. In the last 18 months, I went through hell myself.
But my soul is not for sale and I sincerely hope that yours is not either.
Maria Efimova”
Maria Efimova meets tomorrow a joint session of the European Parliament’s PANA and LIBE committees who are investigating the state of rule of law in Malta.