A Gozitan man told a court that he was duped by former Shoreline property promoter Stephen Carter into paying over €300,000 for what was effectively a “potato field” in Bulgaria.

Mr Carter has been charged with defrauding Gozitan couple Joseph and Josephine Curmi, as well as misappropriation and money-laundering.

His Shoreline partners, who are promoting a multi-million euro property development project in the precincts of Smart City, cut all ties with him in February after the charges were filed.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Curmi listed cash and bank draft payments in 2008 to Mr Carter amounting to €337,000 for two plots in Bulgaria, on the basis of a payment schedule agreed between the pair. The Gozitan man told magistrate Aaron Bugeja that he took what was his first ever trip abroad to see one of the 4,500 square metre-plot in Bulgaria, together with Mr Carter.

He also bought a smaller adjacent plot.

Mr Curmi said the accused, together with two of his associates from Rightlands Property Limited - Dione Vella and Norbert Camilleri - assured him that the necessary permits were in place to develop the plot. 

The Gozitan man said he received a call from the two associates in August 2008, informing him that the contract could not go through as Mr Carter had not released the €337,000.

The papers in question were a mafia document that should not be signed

He said after confronting Mr Carter, the accused gave him back €99,000. There was no more contact with Mr Carter after this, Mr Curmi told the court, despite repeated attempts to call him.

Mr Curmi said he passed on the €99,000 to Mr Carter’s two associates, so as to continue with the deal.

The Gozitan man told the court that in March 2009, Norbert Mr presented him with contracts valued at €84,000 and €30,000 for the two respective plots. Mr Curmi said he contested these contract values, as he had paid far more than those two amounts. He said Mr Camilleri assured him everything was in order, and further documentation would come.

Mr Curmi said he began to smell a rat when in a follow-up visit to Bulgaria, Mr Camilleri showed him a different plot of land that was in the middle of nowhere.

He said that when he went to what looked like a “government department” in Bulgaria to sign some documents related to the deal, an animated clerk said: “If you sign this paper, you can get arrested.”

Mr Curmi said answers were in short supply from Mr Camilleri, so he decided to consult a lawyer.

The Gozitan man said the lawyer advised him that the papers in question were a “mafia document” that should not be signed.

Mr Curmi said his worst fears were confirmed in 2012, when a “Bulgarian agency” informed him that the field in question could not be developed.

“They told me its only use is as a potato field,” Mr Curmi told the court.

This led him to file a police report about the matter. The case continues in December.

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