Two brothers admit to forging cheques, defrauding companies

Two brothers were this morning handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to defrauding seven companies out of approximately €6,000 during the span of seven months.

Julian Friggieri, 35, of Hamrun, and Emanuel Friggieri, 45, of Floriana, admitted to fraud, forging HSBC cheques, of obtaining money by false pretences, and of handling stolen property.

The court heard how the two brothers had defrauded Homemate out of €1,238, Crosscraft out of €2,324, and Tip Top out of €1,020. The brothers also admitted to defrauding Cutajar, Deneo, and Ventura out of a total of €998, €1208, and €1,000 respectively.

The fraud was carried out after the brothers forged HSBC cheques belonging to certain John Baptist Borg.

On his part, Emanuel Friggieri admitted to defrauding R. Grech Ironmongery of Birkirkara out of a total of €245, and Toolbox of Gzira out of a total of €140. AAK Grech Limited of MArsa and Handyman Centre of Birkirkara were also victims of the fraud as they were defrauded out of €300 and €276 respectively.

The court heard how Emanuel Friggieri carried out this fraud together with two other people.

They are undergoing separate criminal proceedings.

Taking into account their guilty plea, Magistrate Ian Farrugia sentenced the men to two years imprisonment suspended for four years.

Warning the men not to commit another offence during the operative period of their suspended sentence, the Magistrate also said that their offence warranted a prison sentence.

He also ordered them to pay back the company in six months.

Inspector Rennie Stivala prosecuted while lawyers Michael and Lucio Scriha represented the accused.