Malta Gaming Authority official embroiled in data misuse scandal

Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) chief technology officer Jason Farrugia has stepped down from his role with the regulator following allegations that he improperly used and provided access to commercially sensitive data. Reports in the Maltese press confirmed Farrugia was suspended from his role as CTO by the MGA last week, with high level officials conducting an internal review of his conduct. Farrugia resigned from his role after the review voted to dismiss him and referred the alleged conduct to the Maltese police. The MGA gave no reason for the dismissal in a statement entitled “termination of employment relationship”. “The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) hereby declares that Jason Farrugia, formerly chief officer technology within the MGA, no longer has any connection to the MGA and can no longer represent it or speak on its behalf,” the regulator said. However, the Times of Malta newspaper cites MGA sources which claimed Farrugia was caught “red-handed” misusing commercially sensitive data, allegedly moving confidential information from the regulator’s servers to a personal account. Malta’s police have yet to comment on the investigations or the allegations made against Farrugia. Farrugia joined the MGA in 2011 as a licensee relationship executive, later occupying positions including systems monitoring executive and information systems manager. He later transitioned to head of ICT and records before becoming chief technology officer. The emerging scandal is the second to hit the MGA in the space of just over 12 months following the departures of former CEO Heathcliff Farrugia and chief regulatory officer Karl Brincat Peplow in November 2020. Farrugia is facing criminal charges over his relationship with disgraced Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech, who has been implicated and charged in the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Earlier this month, long-serving MGA general counsel Dr Yanica Sant confirmed she would be stepping down from her position as chief lawyer for the regulator in order to pursue a career in the private sector. Sant, who will stay with the MGA until February 2022, will not perform any regulatory, inspectorate or enforcement duties and will no longer be part of any internal committees.