Gwardamangia man conned Mater Dei into believing he was doctor

A Maltese court today heard how a man managed to con Mater Dei hospital administration into believing he was a consultant with a Phd, and into issuing him with a doctor's identification tag.

Pierre Buontempo, 46 of Gwardamangia, faces charges related to false identity, certification and embezzlement.

Inspector Angelo Gafa from the economic crimes unit produced a number of senior hospital officials who told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli how Buontempo duped them into believing he was a consultant in tissue viability - a therapy which specialises in curing wounds.

A nurse also told the court how Buontempo had even told her he was a Criminal Investigations Department police officer at the forensics unit.

Buontempo, who was a sales rep for medical imports company Degiorgio Imports Ltd, was even caught pocketing payments from patients who needed wound therapy.

The accused had said that he obtained a Phd in Italy and was a specialist consultant in wound healing.

The card stating he was a consultant was issued, despite Buontempo having a criminal record. He was convicted a number of times for fraud.

His former employer David Stellini, managing director at Degiorgio Imports, said that he was shocked to hear that his salesman held a Mater Dei access card.

He added that Buontempo was sacked after it was discovered he was dealing with a competing medicinal importation company,. and supplying them with the prices being quoted to Mater Dei by his employer.

The matter was revealed to Stellini by the company that found Buontempo's correspondence, as the competing companies had merged.