Nationalist MEP David Casa today called on the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering monitoring body to investigate the FIAU’s handling of information on Dubai company 17 Black.

Casa urged Moneyval to consider several issues before a visit to Malta in November.

In his letter to the Council of Europe body’s executive secretary, Matthias Kloth, Casa called on the team coming to Malta to consider the questioning of the authenticity of the report drawn up by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU).

Casa also asks Moneyval to investigate the circumstances under which the FIAU leaked information concerning its intention to take action against him the media.

17 Black was named in leaked e-mails as one of two companies that would wire money into chief of staff Keith Schembri and Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi’s once-secret Panama companies.

Both Schembri and Mizzi have refused to say who owns 17 Black.

Casa also requested Moneyval to determine whether a wider investigation into the UBO of 17 Black was launched and whether this was progressing “without political interference”.

In the letter, the MEP also asks Moneyval to note the lack of action against Nexia BT in contravention of the FIAU’s obligations under anti-money laundering laws.