Entertainer accused of defrauding two firms

Entertainer Tristan B must be singing the blues in jail after a magistrate yesterday placed him under preventative arrest after he pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding two companies of €70,000.

The 32-year-old singer, whose real name is Emanuel Balzan, stood sheepishly in the dock as he gave the court his personal details and said he worked as a singer.

Mr Balzan allegedly defrauded the directors of RTS Ltd and Simsal properties during February by asking them for money to finance an alleged separation case.

He also allegedly forged the signature of one of the directors using HSBC cheques and handled stolen property. Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona decided to refuse bail after taking into consideration the seriousness of the charges.

Tristan B was in the news over the past days after Italian singer Tiziano Ferro was supposed to spend a few days in Malta to celebrate his birthday here but never showed up.

Tristan B said he had invited the pop star over as he was a "good friend". Contacted in Italy on Tuesday, the Italian entertainer's management said no commitment about a Malta visit had been made. It also emerged that Tiziano Ferro's birthday fell on February 21. Police Inspector Raymond Cassar prosecuted. Lawyer Anthony Farrugia appeared for Mr Balzan.