Vatican bank money laundering scandal

This January 2014 video is called Monsignor Nunzio Scarano accused of money laundering through Vatican Bank.

From AFP news agency today:

Vatican bank investigated for money laundering

ROME — Italian prosecutors launched an investigation into the Vatican bank‘s top executives on Tuesday for allegedly violating money laundering legislation, triggering a sharp rebuttal by the Vatican.

Prosecutors seized 23 million euros (30 million dollars) belonging to the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR) and opened an inquiry against chairman Ettore Gotti Tedeschi and chief executive Paolo Cipriani.

…

Both executives are accused of violating legislation passed in 2007 that requires banks to disclose information on financial operations.

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The funds were seized temporarily from IOR’s deposits in another Italian bank, Credito Artigiano, according to the ANSA news agency.

The probe was launched after an office at the Bank of Italy in September suspended two IOR operations it deemed suspicious worth a total of about 20 million euros, with JP Morgan Frankfurt and another one towards Italian bank Banca del Fucino, ANSA reported.

“IOR authorities have long worked and met with the bank of Italy and with the competent international organisations” to place the Holy See on a money laundering and terrorism white list, the Vatican said.

The IOR manages bank accounts for religious orders and Catholic associations and benefits from Vatican offshore status.

The Vatican also expressed its support for Gotti Tedeschi and Cipriani.

“The Holy see wants to express the maximum confidence in the president and in the chief executive of the IOR,” the statement said.

According to earlier reports in the Italian press, investigators suspect that subjects with their fiscal residence in Italy are using the IOR as a “screen” to hide dealings such as fraud or tax evasion.

In September 2009 the IOR nominated Gotti Tedeschi, Spanish banking giant Santander’s representative in Italy, as its new head.

The appointment was greeted at the time as a move towards greater transparency at the IOR.

US archbishop Paul Marcinkus headed the bank between 1971 and 1989 when it was caught up in scandals including the collapse of the private Italian bank, Banco Ambrosiano in 1982 amid accusations of links to organised crime and political militancy.

Head of Vatican bank ‘humiliated’ by probe. ‘First time since 2003 that Bank has been investigated’: here.

Lawyer says former French President Jacques Chirac to stand trial for embezzlement early next year: here.

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