Laundering holy funds?
According to the Italian weekly “Panorama” the Vatican bank is under investigation for money laundering. For all of you who think that is too absurd an allegation, take the time to browse the net (or your local bookstore) for Roberto Calvi a/k/a/ “God’s banker” and Banco Ambrosiano. In 1984, the Vatican Bank agreed to pay US$224 million to the 120 creditors of the failed Banco Ambrosiano as a “recognition of moral involvement” in the bank’s collapse.
Back to the present; ‘Panorama’ claims prosecutors are probing transactions totalling 180 million euros handled between 2006 and 2008 by Vatican bank (IOR) accounts held at Unicredit’s branch near the Vatican in Rome’s Via della Conciliazione. Some of the funds came from the sale and purchase of real estate, according to the weekly, and the banking operations allegedly break money laundering laws. Prosecutors told the magazine that they would in the next few days to question Unicredit’s senior management over the suspect operations. They are also investigating deposits made at other Italian banks, Panorama said.
Prosecutor Nello Rossi is heading the investigation, which is being carried out in conjunction with financial specialists from the Italian tax police.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/jun/03/vatican-central-bank
