A Maltese company charged nearly 200 non-EU nationals more than €100,000 (USD 108,934) before employing them, and then fired many within months, a Times of Malta investigation can reveal. Trebee Group, a medical supplier and temping agency based in Santa Venera, hired the workers from Southeast Asia last year.

Documents show that Trebee received money from the workers through foreign agencies, who paid recruitment company Mulberry Projects Ltd, which is owned by Trebee’s administrator Pierre Buontempo. Employment regulations ban employers and recruitment companies from charging job applicants for work. The company denies any wrongdoing.

Times of Malta understands that Trebee systematically fired many of its employees within the first few months of their employment. Sources from Maltese immigration and employment authorities said that both Trebee and Mulberry Projects are “known” to them. Many of those who spoke out about Trebee came to Malta through Abroad Study Plan, an agency in India that charged thousands of euros to non-EU nationals to migrate to Malta.

A spokesperson for the Social Dialogue secretariat said that current regulations state that no payment or charges shall be levied on any applicant for employment.  This applies both to recruitment and temping services, the spokesperson said. A new law, published and tabled to parliament in November, goes a step further, she said.  If an employment agency or any other person responsible for the running of the employment agency charges any fees or demands any payment from applicants for employment, it shall be guilty of an offence which may lead to the refusal or revocation of the licence of the said agency, she said.

According to the Malta Business Registry, the owner of Trebee is Albert Buttigieg, an opera singer. When contacted for comment, the owner of Trebee redirected Times of Malta to Pierre Buontempo. I believe that the best way forward is to follow this through formal channels,” he said.