Vatican police raid Secretariat of State

October 01, 2019

Vatican police raided the offices of the Secretariat of State on October 1, seizing documents and electronic devices, on orders from the Vatican’s top prosecutor.

The Vatican press office disclosed that the stunning raid was authorized by the Promoter of Justice, Gian Piero Milano, in connection with an investigation into suspicious financial transactions.

The unprecedented raid targeted the “first section” of the Secretariat of State, which controls the administrative work of the Roman Curia and the Vatican city-state. The raid also covered the offices of the Financial Information Authority, which was set up in 2010 to provide supervision and ensure transparency for Vatican financial affairs.

Vatican officials said that the prosecutor’s investigation was triggered by concerns expressed by officials at the Institute for Religious Works (popularly known as the Vatican bank) and the office of the Auditor General. Some officials suggested that the concerns centered on real-estate transactions, but that suggestion has not been confirmed.

The shocking raid on the Secretariat of State, the Vatican’s most powerful agency, brings new urgency to charges of corruption in Vatican financial affairs. The Secretariat of State had resisted efforts by the Secretariat for the Economy to conduct independent audits and ensure full budgetary accounting for all departments.

 

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Further information:

• Vatican prosecutors conduct raid on Secretariat of State offices (CNA)
• Vatican police raid top offices, take documents (Reuters)