Vitals deal on hospitals: how did the fraud happen and what comes next?

The 136-page landmark judgment that threw the hospitals' deal out the window is especially significant because it concluded that Vitals Global Healthcare and Steward Healthcare had defrauded the country. The fraud happened in all stages of the deal, according to judge Francesco Depasquale, even before the government issued the tender for the privatisation of the hospitals, and continued to happen throughout the deal and the period during which Vitals and Steward held the concession. In this video, Times of Malta walks you through the timeline of events that last month led the court to harshly and repeatedly slam Vitals and Steward for 'fraudulent' behaviour. It all started with a secret agreement signed by the government and Vitals investors in 2014. The video also answers pressing questions on what is expected to happen next. When will the hospitals return to the government? Will the government have to pay Steward the €100 million it promised them in case the contract falls through? Can the government get the money it paid Vitals and Steward back? And why is nobody being arrested?