Belle de Jong

Jan 7, 2025 | theshiftnews.com | Belle de Jong

Former Labour TV reporter turned lawyer and businessman Charlon Gouder has secured a 10% share in a private construction company that plans to invest millions in transforming the Labour Party’s Rialto Theatre building in Bormla into a new entertainment venue, which includes a controversial rooftop wedding hall.

Jan 7, 2025 | theshiftnews.com | Belle de Jong

Behind the polished façade of software provider Delasport lie hundreds of gambling websites targeting countries where gambling is heavily regulated. A look into the #CasinoPapers – tens of thousands of leaked documents from inside the industry – shows that shell companies in Malta and Curaçao play a crucial role in obscuring the ownership of these websites. In 2023, Manwel*, playing from Malta, deposited more than €100,000 into his online casino account.

Nov 1, 2024 | theshiftnews.com | Belle de Jong

A Gozitan couple who sold a plot of land to Robert Abela and his wife Lydia two years ago will directly benefit from an odd change to the Gozo local plan ordered by the prime minister a few weeks ago, The Shift has learned.

Oct 31, 2024 | theshiftnews.com | Belle de Jong

Peter* lost over half a million euro in ten years, hiding his addiction from his family. The birth of his first child was a “wake-up call”: “What am I doing?” At that point, he had debts of around €300,000, he said. The Austrian player promised himself he would quit, but he relapsed, sinking deeper into his addiction. His drug of choice? Gambling. Every day, the first thing he would do when he woke up was look at his balance.

Aug 20, 2024 | substack.com | Belle de Jong

Investigative journalist in Malta and editor at The European Correspondent. I talk about international affairs, social justice and mental health.