Law & Order
Sicilian rearrested over alleged Casino fraud
By MaltaMedia News
May 18, 2007 - 6:28:10 PM

58-year-old Gaetano Caramazza from Palermo, Sicily has been rearrested for allegedly defrauding Casino' di Venezia. The man stands accused of playing at the Casino for three consecutive weekends with cheques belonging to a number of Italian banks as well as stolen bank drafts along with two other men. In the process the Casino lost up to Lm 75,000.

The man was rearrested on request of the General Attorney. The man also allegedly attempted to flee from Malta, however, Mr Caramazza has denied this claim set forward by a taxi driver.

Speaking in Court Mr Caramazza further said that it was the taxi driver, Darren Debono, who offered to help him escape from the country, an offer he promptly turned down. The defence council stated that the taxi driver’s claims were not reliable due to various inconsistencies.

On the other hand, the prosecution called for the revocation of Mr Caramazza provisional liberty, stating that he cannot be trusted. He was granted bail on the 8th of May.

Friday’s hearing was presided over by Magistrate Antonio Vella.

Lawyers Jose' Herrera and Veronique Dalli appeared for the accused.

The prosecution was led by Arthur Azzopardi on behalf of the Attorney General and Inspector Antonovich Muscat.

Earlier this month the prosecution had alleged that Mr Caramazza along with 41-year-old Fabio Zulian from Turin, Italy and 44-year-old Nevio Barut from Koper, who are also implicated in the case, form part of a criminal organisation.    

In December 2006, Inspector Antonovitch Muscat told the Court that a year earlier the three men allegedly defrauded the Casino owners Vittoriosa Gaming Limited, by using counterfeit signatures, falsified documents and accepting stolen objects. The signatures on the cheques belonged to two banks in Milan and Turin.

Last year Casino di Venezia in Vittoriosa was forced to shut down after it had its license revoked. The license was revoked because of staff allegedly celebrating in an excessive manner during Italy’s World Cup Final 2006 win.