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| Senior Vatican Officer charge for corruption |
Latest: Corruption and Money Laundering;
Vatican City: Monsignor Scarano Corruption Trial Begins
The trial of high-ranking Vatican official Monsignor Nunzio Scarano,
accused of attempting to smuggle US$30 million, opened on Tuesday, AFP reports.
The court postponed proceedings until December 13 when the prosecution's first witness will be heard.
Scarano was arrested in June on
allegations of fraud and corruption in the midst of a money laundering
scandal at the Vatican bank, also referred to as the Institute for
Religious Works (IOR), alongside former intelligence officer Giovanni
Maria Zito and financial broker Giovanni Carinzo.
Scarano is accused of using IOR accounts for illicit transfers on
behalf of his friends and associates. He allegedly attempted to smuggle
€20 million, about US$30 million, from Switzerland to Italy on behalf of
a wealthy family of ship owners from Naples. According to Italian news agency Adnkronos,
Scarano also attempted bribery when the plot failed. His lawyer says
that Scarano was only a middleman in a legal money-transferring
operation. The prelate has denied any wrongdoing.
As the scandal unfolded at the bank, director Paolo Cipriani and deputy director Massimo Tulli resigned in July, three days after the arrests.
Currently under house arrest, Scarano is also accused of money
laundering in a separate investigation. He is known for a lavish
lifestyle and nicknamed "Monsignor 500 Euros", allegedly for his habit
of flashing large bills, in Italian media.
The IOR manages the Vatican's assets, valued at more than US$9 billion.
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