Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1253597
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 MAY 2020 NEWS Money? No problem The 20 men tasked with carrying out the mission were paid $900 per day for three months. The total salary bill came to $1,620,000, which works out at a staggering $81,000 per man. Sov- ereign Charterers earned $68,954 for the search operation for the lost RHIB and was compensated to the tune of nearly half a million dollars – $497,534 to be exact, for the loss. Maltese com- pany Fieldsports, also owned by James Fenech, was paid exactly $30,003 for 'Marine Safety Equipment', although the precise nature of the equipment is unclear. In total, the botched operation is estimated to have cost some $18 mil- lion. UN investigators uncovered a tangled, incestuous web of companies and com- pany officers related to the private mili- tary operation dubbed 'Opus' which was supposed to equip Haftar's forces with helicopters and PMCs, in breach of UN sanctions. It was Opus Capital Asset which en- tered into the contract for the RHIBs, but it was Lancaster6 which paid Fenech's Sovereign Charters and Field- sports. Indeed, Lancaster has its own Malta subsidiary. It also paid for the ser- vices of a Maltese lawyer on 3 July 2019, in case they were needed to settle any legal issues. On the other hand, it was another Lan- caster-related company, L-6 FZE, which entered into a contract for the transfer of the six helicopters, paid for by Opus Capital Assets. Both Lancaster and Opus had shared officials: Durrant as the ultimate owner of Lancaster, while company secretary Amanda Perry as CEO of Opus Capital Assets. Key management personnel Amanda Kate Perry is the managing director of Lancaster6 DMCC, as well as Opus Capital Asset (BVI) and Opus Cap- ital Assets DMCC. She is also the CEO of Vital Corporate Solutions (UAE) and L-6 FZE. Perry is also CEO of Vital Corporate Solutions (BVI) and company secretary of Lancaster6 Limited (Malta), which in turn is owned by L6 Group Holdings Limited (BVI) and Vital Corporate Solu- tions (BVI). As co-director of Umbra Aviation in South Africa, Steven John Lodge, who was also the PMCs' team leader on the ground, wears many hats too. He is the aviation manager of Lancaster6 DMCC, a representative of L-6 FZE and Opus Cap- ital Assets DMCC. Lodge, as a representative of Opus Cap- ital Assets DMCC also appeared on the BIMCO contract with Sovereign Char- terers in June 2019. Durrant is the other director of Umbra Aviation with Lodge, as well as CEO of L6 Group Holdings Limited (BVI) and a director of Lancaster6 in Malta. And Lancaster6 is a shareholder in Vital Cor- porate Solutions (BVI). Finally, Opus Capital Asset Limited (BVI) is a director/shareholder in Vital Corporate Solutions (BVI). While this may look chaotic to the un- acquainted, the different companies had set roles in this complex structure. Lancaster6 DMCC, based in Dubai, was used for bank payments. L-6 FZE, also based in the UAE, but with different addresses, was used for procur- ing the Gazelle helicopters from Fulcrum Holdings in the UAE. That transaction was settled from an Opus Capital Asset FZE bank account. The Super Puma hel- icopters were purchased from Starlite Aviation of South Africa by L-6 FZE, the sellers being told that they were intended for a geological survey contract in Jordan. L-6FZE was also used to purchase a UAE trade licence. Meanwhile, L6 Group Holding (BVI) was set up as a holding company on the British Virgin Islands company register. Opus Capital Assets DMCC of Dubai was used to obtain survey documents. Opus Capital Asset Limited FZE was used to charter the RHIBs and engage lawyers to draw up a disclosure form under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). This US law was enacted in 1938 and requires "certain agents of for- eign principals who are engaged in polit- ical activities or other activities specified under the statute to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, re- ceipts and disbursements in support of those activities." Opus Capital Asset (BVI) and Vital Corporate Solutions (BVI) were also shell companies used on the British Virgin Is- lands corporate register. The Maltese link to the operation – Sov- ereign Charterers owner James Fenech, who is currently on bail on related charg- es over the flouting of EU sanctions on Libya – had explained to the UN panel investigating the incident that he had on- ly been told that the vessels were required for evacuation purposes as a number of petrochemical multinationals would, for insurance purposes, require contingency plans to evacuate their personnel. The panel, however, discounted this explanation, observing Fenech's known close linkages to private military compa- nies through his other businesses meant that it was unlikely that he found this to be a credible explanation, considering the individuals and organizations involved in the charter of the vessels. L6 Group Holdings (BVI) Lancaster 6 (Malta) Lancaster6 DMCC (UAE) L-6 FZE (UAE) Opus Capital Assets (BVI) Opus Capital Asset FZE (UAE) Opus Capital Assets DMCC (UAE) Vital Corporate Solutions (BVI) Vital Corporate Solutions (UAE) MD CEO CONTROLS CEO MD Sec MD AM R R Umbra Aviation (RSA) Dir Dir CEO Dir LEGEND Dir Director Sec Company Secretary AM Aviation Manager CEO Chief Executive Officer R Representative COLOURS Christiaan Durrant Amanda Kate Perry Steven John Lodge Christiaan Durrant Amanda Perry Steven Lodge Former Australian fighter pilot who worked with Blackwater founder Erik Prince at Frontier Services Group. Durrant is also a Malta resident. He describes himself as a 'passionate humanitarian' on his personal website CEO and Managing Director, Vitality Management Consultancies and Vital Corporate Solutions, a business consultant Aviation Manager of Lancaster6 DMCC, Procurement Representative of Opus Capital Asset Limited FZE and L6-FZE, and director of Umbra Aviation Paid $5,000 in fees to Malta lawyer on 3 July, 2019; $30,000 to Fieldsports for marine seafety equipment; $500,000 for Manta-2 compensation, $69,000 for marine fuel and search operation for lost RHIB, and $541,000 for hire of two RHIBs from Sovereign Charters Top: a Gazelle LUH, three of which were paid for by Opus Capital Asset FZE, and bottom, one of three Super Puma MUH passing through Botswana, which were contracted by L-6 FZE PROJECT OPUS