Couple found guilty of gambling away €35,000 raised for son battling cancer

Ryan Debattista and Nicole Bezzina have been found guilty of defrauding their son and others by gambling away the €35,000 in funds raised for their cancer-battling son Kane.

Aged 31 and 27 respectively, Debattista and Bezzina admitted to using their son to raise the amount in question and laundering money. TVMNews had also reported that Debattista was also charged with accepting stolen items and breach probation.

A Puttinu Cares’ spokesperson reported that the young boy had been cured of cancer and was properly taken care of by the parents, receiving the necessary treatment to get cured and make progress.

The couple was sentenced to three years probation, with a €30,000 fine issued to the father, Debattista and €20,000 to the mother, Bezzina.

The court also confiscated €35,000 from the couple, as were as their property and they were banned from any and all establishments related to betting or gambling. The court also ordered three years of treatment against gambling addiction for the two.

#MaltaDaily