Florinda Sultana’s freezing order reduced to €2 million

The court lifted a general freezing order imposed in 2021 on Florinda Sultana, a 33-year-old ‘content creator’ and socialite, limiting it to just under €2 million.

The freezing order was related to charges of money laundering and tax evasion, focused on two restaurants owned by her stepfather, international footballer Darren Debono, who is separately facing charges of oil smuggling.

Sultana was only 29 when charged. She managed Il-Porticello, a seaside restaurant in Valletta, and Capo Mulini in Marsaxlokk. According to the charges, Porticello and Capo Mulini were vehicles for money laundering.

In a recent decree by Magistrate Leonard Caruana, the court has now limited the freezing order to the amount claimed to have been laundered – €2 million.

The frozen assets are now limited to her shares in two companies, MS1 Catering Ltd and Nesvan Company Ltd, €550,000 in alleged undeclared employee salaries, €1.08 million from alleged undeclared revenue from her stepfather’s restaurants, some €200,000 in bank deposits held by Nesvan Ltd and all the assets pertaining to MS1 Ltd.

Both restaurants involved in the case remain fully operational, and Sultana continues to manage the Valletta eatery.

The freezing order imposed in 2021 did not seem to have held Sultana back from her lavish lifestyle, which she flaunted on social media.

In 2022, The Shift reported that Sultana continued her almost monthly travels despite having all her assets frozen.

During the first year of her freezing order, Sultana posted pictures of holidays in Capri, Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, Florence, St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, Bali, Verona, Manchester, Paris, Dubai and a number of other destinations.

Unperturbed by the serious charges she faces, which would mean years of imprisonment if found guilty, Sultana also continues to promote the Valletta restaurant she manages as ‘a hub of activity’.

It is unclear how Sultana could finance this lifestyle despite the freezing order.

All accused deny the claims.