Disgraced CEO advising government on outer space

A new private consultancy firm owned by disgraced former MFSA CEO Joseph Cuschieri was awarded a lucrative consultancy contract to provide advice on space policy.

The Shift has learned that Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti issued this €80,000 contract without a public call through the government’s agency Xjenza Malta.

It’s unclear why Azzopardi Tanti chose the disgraced former CEO to advise him on space matters, given that Cuschieri has no known expertise in this highly specialised field.

Azzopardi Tanti, expected to operate under the direction of Education Minister Clifton Grima, has refused to disclose details regarding Cuschieri’s latest engagement.

When questioned about his decision to engage Cuschieri, why he did not conduct a public call, and whether any due diligence was performed regarding Cuschieri’s past—including breaches of ethics and noncompliance with government procurement rules—the inexperienced parliamentary secretary did not respond.

The contract was awarded to Cuschieri through his new consultancy firm, CP Advisory, which he established with Neil Portelli, a former government official. His daughter, Katrina, is the only other ‘consultant’ listed in Cuschieri’s advisory firm.

Katrina, like her father, does not specialise in space or astronomy, and she was placed on the government payroll immediately after finishing her university studies.

Joseph Cuschieri, part of the coterie associated with disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat, was chairman of the Malta Gaming Authority and later the MFSA. During his time in these public offices, he was criticised for extravagant spending, repeatedly highlighted in reports by the National Audit Office (NAO).

In 2020, revelations about his close ties to Yorgen Fenech, including a paid trip to Las Vegas with his then-assistant Edwina Licari, led to an investigation and his subsequent forced resignation. The investigation found Cuschieri guilty on several counts, including violations of the code of ethics and unauthorised payments, among other abuses.

After a brief period out of the spotlight, Cuschieri was reinstated by Minister Miriam Dalli and awarded a full-time position as CEO of Project Green with a salary of nearly €100,000.

Prime Minister Robert Abela defended this controversial appointment, insisting the disgraced CEO deserved a second chance.

The NAO is currently scrutinising Cuschieri’s management of the government agency, particularly his recruitment of new staff members, which has increased the agency’s payroll by approximately €1 million.

Additionally, direct orders have become commonplace while the agency struggles with performance.

In 2022, after completing her university degree, Katrina Cuschieri was appointed as a consultant for Miriam Dalli at a salary of €50,000. Dalli, a former colleague and close friend of Joseph Cuschieri, also appointed the young Katrina to the board of a government agency, Clearflow PLC.

Last year, Katrina resigned from her position with Dalli to take on the Strategy Business Development Manager role at Infrastructure Malta under an indefinite contract.

She was recruited by Steve Ellul, a former failed Labour MEP candidate and now CEO of Infrastructure Malta, who had also previously served as CEO of Project Green, a position now held by Katrina’s father. Ellul is also known as a consultant and close associate of Dalli.