No breach of Code of Ethics by Chetcuti Cauchi: Investment Migration Council

April 28 17:52 2020 by The Editor Print This Article

An investigation into the ethical reporting of a hidden-camera meeting by a French media house has been concluded.  The Investment Migration Council, a professional body accrediting investment migration professionals, reviewed the full raw footage of the recorded meetings with Chetcuti Cauchi representatives.  

The Maltese law firm obtained the raw footage as a result of successful judicial action in France resulting in the fining of the media company for obstruction of process.  The IMC found that several extracts of the footage critical to understanding the statements and context of the meetings were entirely omitted and that the narrator's voiced-over allegations were made up as they were not supported by the original footage.  As a result, the IMC found Dr Chetcuti's conduct to be in accordance with the IMC's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and pronounced Dr Chetcuti to be in good standing with the professional body.

Upon detailed analysis of all available evidence, the IMC has concluded that the allegations made in the French programme leading to the investigation of the issue were false and only served other purposes best known to the editor of the French programme

The IMC stated that it had conducted a thorough investigation into the case. Reaching a fair and just decision in this case required reviewing all the evidence, including the Report of the IIP Regulator and the original footage of both meetings with the French undercover journalist.  This enabled the IMC to assess the entire context of the discussion with the French undercover journalist.  The professional body established that Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti had not acted against IMC Codes in the case that was subject to investigation.

The findings of the IIP Regulator's Report and the review of the raw footage of the entire meeting, the IMC reached a decision to restore Dr Chetcuti's accreditation as member of the IMC and to close the investigation process. "The available evidence shows that you have not infringed the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct during your meeting with the French undercover journalist,” added the IMC in its statement.

Asked for his reaction, Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti replied "We welcome the IMC’s conclusions wholeheartedly. Chetcuti Cauchi is a firm built on strong ethical principles and we have full faith in the honourable conduct of our representatives.”