Vatican official acted illegally as private banker, prosecutors charge
July 22, 2013
Italian prosecutors charge that Msgr. Nunzio Scarano offered financial services for wealthy friends: “totally private, illegal activity which was also aimed at serving outsiders.”
Msgr. Scarano, who was arrested in June on charges of planning to bring €20 million in cash into Italy illegally, is also under investigation on money-laundering charges. The earlier investigation prompted his suspension from his post at the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.
Although Msgr. Scarano was not an official of the Vatican bank, the money-laundering charges involved his manipulation of funds from his account at that institution, the Institute for Religious Works. The Reuters news service obtained a 28-page report from prosecutors on his alleged illegal activities.
A lawyer for Msgr. Scarano denied that prosecutors could prove the charges against him.
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Further information:
- Arrested Vatican prelate acted as private banker, document says (Reuters)
- Vatican freezes assets of cleric in money-laundering probe (CWN, 7/12)
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