Two former Maltese politicians face potential prosecution over their connections to 17 Black, a company owned by casino magnate Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of orchestrating journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea has recommended charging Keith Schembri, former chief aide to the prime minister, and Konrad Mizzi, former energy minister, following an extensive investigation.

The case centers around revelations from the Panama Papers, which showed that 17 Black planned to transfer US$2 million to offshore companies owned by Schembri and Mizzi. Caruana Galizia was investigating these connections when she was killed by a car bomb in October 2017.

Fenech, who owned the Qawra Oracle Casino and Portomaso Casino through his Tumas Group, was arrested in 2019 while attempting to flee Malta. The arrest followed testimony from Melvin Theuma, the self-confessed middleman who implicated Fenech as the mastermind behind the journalist's murder.

Prosecutors believe Fenech ordered the killing to prevent Caruana Galizia from exposing corruption in a $500 million government contract awarded to his company, Electrogas. She had obtained 600,000 leaked emails from the company months before her death.

While Fenech denies orchestrating the murder and claims Schembri was responsible, both Schembri and Mizzi face separate charges for bribery, criminal association, and money laundering related to government health contracts. The scandal triggered widespread protests that led to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's resignation in 2019.

Fenech remains in custody awaiting trial, while the Degiorgio brothers face charges for planting the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia.

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