A major investigation by The Guardian has cast fresh scrutiny on American entrepreneur Julie Meyer, revisiting a controversial chapter that unfolded in Malta less than a decade ago.Meyer, once known as the “queen” of London’s dotcom boom and a former Dragons’ Den investor, moved part of her operations to Malta in 2017 following the collapse of her UK-based venture capital firm, Ariadne Capital. According to The Guardian, Meyer acquired a Maltese company with a fund management licence and publicly announced plans to raise a €1 billion European investment fund from the island.The venture launched with considerable fanfare, including a high-profile event attended by then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat at the Westin Dragonara Resort. However, the investigation details allegations from former suppliers who claimed they were left unpaid, including a Maltese design agency that said it was owed €60,000. Meyer has previously rejected allegations of non-payment.The report also notes that Malta’s financial regulator suspended Ariadne’s fund management licence in 2018. In addition, court proceedings were initiated over alleged unpaid wages, with a magistrate reportedly ordering police to locate Meyer after she failed to attend a hearing. Lawyers cited by The Guardian said those criminal cases were later closed.The Guardian’s year-long investigation examines Meyer’s business activities across the UK, Malta, Switzerland and Greece, where former associates, investors and entrepreneurs described a pattern of failed ventures, legal disputes and financial controversies spanning several years.Source: The Guardian investigation by Olivia Lee and Juliette Garside.•