In 1996 Schembri established Kasco Holdings, a group of companies providing various services and products within the fields of graphic art and engineering. The group's flagship company is Kasco Paper. Schembri first set up an offshore shell company in January 2011. In 2008, Joseph Muscat brought Schembri into the Labour Party. Schembri managed the 2013 electoral campaign that saw the Labour Party elected with the largest margin of victory in Malta since its independence. Schembri was appointed as the "Chief of staff", a newly created position in the organization chart of the ruling government. Joseph Muscat won the Maltese election in 2013 and Keith Schembri and others became part of his office team. In July 2013 employees of Tonna created three letterbox firms in Panama: Tillgate Inc. owned by Keith Schembri, Hearnville Inc. owned by Energy-minister Konrad Mizzi and Egrant. In June 2015, Schembri purchased Panama companies from the Mossack Fonseca-related firm ATC Administrators Inc, specifically Hearnville Inc and Tillgate Inc. Schembri asked the audit firm Nexia BT, auditors of the Kasco Group, to help him set up a New Zealand trust and associated company. Konrad Mizzi also used Nexia for this purpose; he said Schembri suggested an overseas trust and brought him to Nexia. Rotorua, Mizzi's trust, and Haast, the trust created for Schembri, are both run by Orion Trust. Under New Zealand law, the trusts pay no tax on foreign earnings; New Zealand regulators may demand this information, but do not disclose it to other governments. Mossack flagged both Schembri and Mizzi as politically exposed persons due to their roles in the Maltese government, and noted "some negative coverage regarding the tender process for supply of paper to the government," and also concerns about the level of compensation received by Mizzi's wife. FPB Bank of Panama refused to open accounts for the two, judging them potential corruption risks. Schembri was one of the Maltese individuals mentioned in the initial Panama Papers leaks in April 2016, together with then Minister for Energy and Health Konrad Mizzi. These revelations led to calls for Schembri's resignation from government. This motion was later amended by the governing party as a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, under whose employ Schembri falls. Parliament voted along party lines and the motion was defeated.
Involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder investigation
Prominent Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech was arrested on 20 November 2019 in connection with the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. Schembri resigned his government post on 26 November 2019, and was subsequently arrested by the police for questioning. Schembri was later released by police. Yorgen Fenech, in his court statement, accused Schembri of being the mastermind behind the Caruana Galizia murder. Schembri is also accused to have tried to influence Fenech in order to frame Chris Cardona as responsible for the murder of Caruana Galizia. According to Fenech's testimony in a constitutional case, Schembri had allegedly informed Fenech that the latter's phone was being tapped. A campaign boycotting Kasco imports was initiated; Pasta Rummo was a notable example, having been targeted in supermarkets with stickers with bloody hands being placed on the pasta packaging. Pasta Rummo distanced themselves from Schembri in an issued statement.
