Vatican: Procedures for abuse of office, money laundering, fraud and embezzlement

ROM –

A trial over a lost property deal in London is due to begin before the Vatican Court at the end of the month.

The Holy See announced on Saturday that court officials have summoned people in the church and regular offices of the State Secretariat, as well as high-ranking officials of the Vatican Financial Information Authority and individuals from the international financial world. The allegations against more than a dozen people and companies range from abuse of office, money laundering, fraud and embezzlement to corruption, as evidenced by the list of people summoned for the July 27 hearing.

International investigations, in part against alleged violators

The Vatican said the suspects partially denied the allegations. Also against Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Piccio, who has to respond to embezzlement and abuse of office, the facts emerged during the investigation. Pope Francis sacked the 73-year-old from his office at the end of September last year after suspected financial irregularities.

Several authorities in the Vatican and Italy have been investigating the matter since July 2019. Studies have extended internationally to the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, Jersey, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Switzerland. The move comes on the heels of Pope Francis’ reforms on transparency in the Vatican’s finances, according to the Holy See.

In 2019, a failed luxury property deal in London made headlines. The action had taken a heavy toll on the Catholic Papal States at the time. It is also said that money was withdrawn from Peterspfennig, the Vatican’s annual global collection. (dpa)