A former Bank of Valletta (BOV) branch manager has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding an 87-year-old client of more than €76,000. The victim, who reportedly trusted the accused implicitly, was left with a balance of only €900 after years of alleged financial manipulation.
Details of the Allegations
Christine Azzopardi, a Canadian-born resident of Birkirkara, faced a series of serious charges in court, including:
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Money laundering
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Misappropriation and fraud
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Falsification of documents
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Unauthorized use of bank computer systems
The court has issued a freezing order on Azzopardi’s assets totaling €76,376, the exact amount allegedly diverted from the victim’s account.
How the Scheme was Uncovered
The alleged fraud came to light last year when the victim’s niece, Jacqueline Tanti Dougall, visited a BOV branch in Lija. Attempting to withdraw €5,000 for her aunt—who has lived in a care home since 2021—she was shocked to find the account nearly depleted.
Tanti Dougall testified that the low balance was impossible given her aunt’s lifestyle. The victim lived modestly on a monthly pension of roughly €100 and had no significant expenses. Upon reviewing bank statements, the niece noticed records and signatures that did not match her aunt’s handwriting.
Ironically, the victim had frequently praised Azzopardi to her family, telling relatives to “ask for Christine” if they ever needed assistance at the bank.
Internal Investigation Findings
An internal investigation by BOV revealed that Azzopardi allegedly exploited her administrative access to manipulate the victim’s account settings. According to the prosecution, the manager:
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Blocked physical bank statements from being mailed to the victim.
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Changed the registered mobile number to her own.
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Requested a debit card in the victim’s name to facilitate easy transfers.
The prosecution alleges that between 2021 and 2023, approximately 170 withdrawals and transfers were made. Investigators traced over €30,000 to Azzopardi’s personal account, €27,000 to her sister’s account, and further sums to accounts linked to her husband.
