Vatican ready to cooperate in investigation of accountant
Vatican City, 29 Jun 2013: The Vatican said it is ready to collaborate in the investigation
of one of its accountants who was arrested on Friday over allegations of corruption
and slander.
“The Holy See has not yet received any request from the competent
Italian authorities on the matter, but it confirms its willingness to cooperate fully,”
said Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See’s press office.
The
arrest happened just days after Pope Francis created a commission of inquiry into
the IOR's activities and legal status on June 26.
“The competent authorities
of the Vatican, the AIF (Financial Information Authority), are overseeing the problem
to take, if necessary, appropriate measures within its competence,” said Fr. Lombardi
in a statement released on June 28.
The 60-year-old cleric worked as a senior
accountant for a Vatican department, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic
See, and had an account at the IOR.
But Msgr. Scarano was suspended from his
job a month ago after transactions of a series of checks described as church donations
were cycled through the Vatican bank.
Fr. Lombardi said this happened “as soon
as the superiors were informed that he was under investigation.”
He explained
this was “in accordance with the regulations of the Roman Curia, which requires the
precautionary suspension for people for whom prosecution has been initiated.”
Monsignor
Nuncio Scarano was arrested on June 28 for allegedly trying to move 20 million Euros
– $26 million US Dollars – from Switzerland illegally into Italy, involving the Vatican's
so-called bank, the IOR or Institute for Religious Works.
The Vatican created
the Financial Information Authority in 2010 and it became operational in April 2011
to make the IOR more transparent.Source: CNA/EWTN News