Vatican monsignor arrested for money laundering

http://www.adn.com/2014/01/21/3283467/italy-police-re-arrest-vatican.html



An undated photo of Monsignor Nunzio Scarano in Salerno, Italy. A Vatican monsignor already on trial for allegedly plotting to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy was ordered arrested in a separate case on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014 for allegedly using his Vatican bank accounts to launder money. The financial police in the southern city of Salerno said Monsignor Nunzio Scarano's Vatican bank accounts had been used to transfer millions of euros (dollars) in fictitious donations from offshore companies. Police said millions in euros had been seized and that other arrest warrants were issued. Scarano's lawyer, Silverio Sica, said his client merely took donations from people he thought were acting in good faith to fund a home for the terminally ill. He conceded that the money ended up being used to pay off Scarano's mortgage, however.

Vatican monsignor arrested for money laundering
By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press
January 21, 2014 Updated 3 minutes ago

VATICAN CITY — A Vatican monsignor already on trial for allegedly plotting to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy was arrested Tuesday in a separate case for allegedly using his Vatican bank accounts to launder money.

Financial police in the southern Italian city of Salerno said Monsignor Nunzio Scarano had transferred millions of euros in fictitious donations from offshore companies through his accounts at the Vatican's Institute for Religious Works. Police said millions have been seized and that other arrest warrants were also issued.

Scarano's lawyer, Silverio Sica, said his client merely took donations from people he thought were acting in good faith to fund a home for the terminally ill. He conceded, however, that Scarano used the money to pay off a mortgage.

"We continue to strongly maintain the good faith of Don Nunzio Scarano and his absolute certainty that the money came from legitimate donations," Sica told The Associated Press.