Pilatus Bank whistle-blower Maria Efimova met PANA and LIBE committee members of the European Parliament by video conference today. She was providing information as part of the European Parliament’s investigation into rule of law in Malta.
Speaking exclusively to manueldelia.com, Maria Efimova explained she had passed documentation in her possession to committee members in advance of the meeting so they could study evidence of money laundering involving politically exposed persons at Pilatus Bank.
During today’s meeting she answered follow up questions that, according to Maria Efimova, helped complement the picture the MEPs had been forming from evidence and information already in their possession.
Maria Efimova stated she is a certified anti-money laundering officer and is trained and qualified to provide technical details in connection with alleged legal violations at Pilatus Bank. In comments to this website, Maria Efimova said she provided MEPs with documentation that can support action to be taken by regulatory authorities.
Maria Efimova reminded committee members she had testified to Magistrate Aaron Bugeja as part of the Egrant inquiry ordered by the prime minister after Daphne Caruana Galizia published allegations that Egrant belonged to Michelle Muscat and that it was used for illegal transfers of money connecting the Muscat family with the Aliyev family of Azerbaijan.
She also reminded committee members that when she had provided her testimony, she was instructed by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja not to provide anyone else with any details she had provided Magistrate Bugeja in his inquiry. She has since complied with these instructions, including at today’s meeting with MEPs.
In her comments to this website today, Maria Efimova expressed her conviction that Magistrate Aaron Bugeja is working on figuring out the truth.
In other comments to this website Maria Efimova reacted to comments written about her in various media suggesting she was “some prostitute trying to cause trouble”. She rejected these accusations and stated that she is educated and trained especially in anti-money laundering which gives her an understanding of the facts she is revealing and commenting about.
“I am not just trying to make a mess for someone”.