Mystery over Refalo’s ‘mafia villa’ deepens as key questions remain unanswered

Fresh questions have emerged over the true ownership and long-term use of a Qala villa linked to Sicilian mafia boss Toto Riina, as Minister Anton Refalo continues to refuse to disclose crucial details about how he came into possession of the property.

At the centre of the controversy is the identity of the villa’s owner.

Refalo has repeatedly declined to name the “Italian woman from Brescia”, who he claims purchased the property in 1979 and from whom he says he began leasing the villa in 2002.

No rental contract has been presented to the media, despite his claims. He has also refused to clarify whether she is still alive.

Ongoing investigations by The Shift have confirmed that while there is no evidence linking Refalo personally to Riina, arrested in 1993, significant doubts persist over how the minister acquired control of the property and retained it for decades under what he describes as a long lease, now expired.

Despite publicly insisting he has nothing to hide, Refalo has failed to provide The Shift with any documentary evidence to substantiate his claims.

Requests to publish or show the lease contract have been ignored.

According to Prime Minister Robert Abela, who has stated he has seen the agreement, the contract was brokered by shady Gozitan lawyer Alfred Grech, described as acting on behalf of the “Brescia owner”. Yet the document remains undisclosed.

Minister Refalo has also shifted his position on the status of the lease, now saying that it expired in 2018. He has claimed that neither the alleged “woman from Brescia” nor her representative, Grech, has made any attempt to reclaim the property or request payment since then.

Questions sent to the minister asking whether he has contacted Grech, a close friend, who is still a practising lawyer in Gozo, went unanswered. Repeated attempts by The Shift to contact Grech were unsuccessful.

In practical terms, the minister has continued to occupy the villa rent-free for the past eight years.

The property is currently being used to store his extensive art collection, reportedly worth millions.

Residents in Qala, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the villa as widely known in the area as the “mafia villa”. They recalled that the property had been abandoned and in a state of disrepair throughout the late 1990s following Riina’s arrest.

They said that in the early 2000s, Refalo, then an opposition MP, suddenly began living in the villa with his family, despite uncertainty over its ownership.

“Most people assumed he had bought it, as he is always dealing in property,” one neighbour said.

“It is surprising to hear now that he claims to have leased it for all these years. It is not typical of Refalo,” another added.

According to residents, Refalo later moved to another residence in Qala, the one in which a historic stolen road marker was discovered by The Shift.

After being appointed minister in 2013, he began using “the mafia villa” to meet constituents. Visitors described the property as densely packed with artworks and historical items.

The Shift has already established that the villa has never been declared among Refalo’s assets, despite being in his possession for over two decades. Although the minister insists he holds no legal title, government sources indicated that long-term rental arrangements should still be declared, pointing to standard practice followed by other Cabinet ministers.

The minister’s handling of the case has also drawn criticism.

When questioned by journalists, he gave inconsistent replies, at one point claiming he did not know who Riina was and denying knowledge of long-standing reports linking the villa to the Mafia, claims that residents say have been widely known in Gozo and Malta for years.

Prime Minister Abela has said that he was satisfied with the explanations provided by Refalo.

Yet, with no contract published, no owner identified, and no rent paid for years, fundamental questions about the villa’s ownership, how Refalo started occupying it, and its use remain unresolved.

Further investigations by The Shift are ongoing.