‘Philanthropist’ accountant distanced from Soup Kitchen project

The Soup Kitchen run by the Franciscan Friars in Valletta has distanced itself from Nigel Scerri, an accountant and ‘philanthropist’ who proposed a project in George Borg Olivier Street, Sliema, that was opposed by residents.

When contacted, a spokesperson for the charity confirmed that Scerri has absolutely nothing to do with the Soup Kitchen project and that the two sides parted ways a long time ago. Scerri is facing criminal charges connected to money laundering and tax evasion.

The Shift is informed that Scerri resigned from his charity committee post before the police started investigating him.

The spokesperson refused to say whether Scerri had been forced out. “We are a charity organisation providing daily food for the poor and homeless. We aim only to continue with our noble mission and would like to continue to concentrate on this with the help of the public and without any unnecessary distractions.”

The Soup Kitchen project, started by Fr Marcellino Micallef years ago, is one of the island’s most effective and essential charity projects. Its needs have continued to grow in the past years, as poverty has increased despite Malta’s economic growth.

In 2023, Scerri hit the headlines with his project to donate a multi-million-euro property in Sliema’s affluent George Borg Olivier Street to be turned into a homeless shelter run by the Soup Kitchen charity.

The project irked neighbours, who, apart from not wanting such a shelter in their street to protect the value of their property, insisted that this was some scam by Scerri.

While the accountant, who even met with neighbours, insisted that his project was genuinely charitable, many insisted it was a stepping stone to turning the property into a hotel.

For their part, the Soup Kitchen directors distanced themselves from the project even though they insisted that a shelter for the young homeless was necessary.

Fr Marcellino’s initial planning application was later withdrawn, as the Soup Kitchen noted the concerns surrounding Scerri’s project. No agreements were ever signed with Scerri.

Last month, Scerri and his wife, owners of financial services firm Ennesse, based in Msida, pleaded not guilty to laundering some €1.5 million. The probe was prompted by the tax authorities.

A tax department accountant tasked with auditing the couple found that between 2016 and 2024, the couple acquired some €12 million worth of property and had 26 different accounts, some in foreign jurisdictions.