Unholy mess: Vatican amidst mafia money-laundering scandal

The Vatican Bank is under media fire as reports emerge that Italian prosecutors suspect it of laundering Sicilian mafia bosses’ riches.

The Institute for Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican Bank, has so far refused to disclose details of an account held by a priest in connection with a money laundering and fraud investigation.

Father Ninni Treppiedi was sacked from serving as a priest after a series of church funds transactions made by his parish came to anti-mafia prosecutors’ attention this spring. The dealings, involving millions of euro, date back to 2007-2009.

Prosecutors suspect Treppiedi was involved in money-laundering operations linked to Matteo Messina Denaro, a Mafia Godfather on the run. The cleric’s former post in Aclamo, near Trapani, is said to be the richest parish in the Mafia stronghold of Sicily.

Trapani prosecutor Marcello Viola made the request to disclose Treppiedi’s account details over six weeks ago. But the Vatican, though confirming the request has been received, maintains the issue is not mafia-related.

“The letter the Vatican received on May 9 did not speak of any money laundering or mafia issues. It contained concerns over shortages and fraud made by ecclesiastical authorities in the Diocese of Trapani,” the Vatican spokesman told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Monday.

The first reports on the scandal emerged in the Italian media two weeks after the head of the Vatican Bank, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was ousted after receiving a unanimous vote of no-confidence from bank overseers.

The banker is under investigation for another case of alleged money laundering. But there is speculation that the actual reason behind the no-confidence vote is that Tedeschi was aware of possible mafia links and leaked names and accounts details to police.

The new media buzz does not add up to the Vatican’s gravitas. Earlier in the week, the office had to deny that Pope Benedict’s butler is being treated “as a scapegoat” in the so-called “Vatileaks case.”

Butler Paolo Gabriele is still being questioned over the passing to whistleblowers of sensitive documents revealing corruption in the Vatican’s business deals with Italian companies. Gabriele could face up to eight years in prison if convicted.

TAGS: Crime, Scandal, Europe, Vatican

Favorite

1 member favorited this

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Amerikagulag on June 14, 2012 at 5:18pm: Well, when you consider that there was NO EXODUS; NO WANDERING IN THE DESERT; NO PARTING THE RED SEA; NO MOSES; NO ABRAHAM; NO PROMISED LAND; that NAZARETH DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THE 4th CENTURY; that the vast majority of claims made in the bible are not backed by archaeology; that this 'god' invented by these people is no more than a tribal war god, it's difficult to understand why anyone would continue to support this institution based on MYTH and FABLE. There is no historical record of anyone named Jesus doing any of the things outside of the 'book of fables'. Millions believe this fairy tale which defies all logic.

God became man so that HE could die, so that HE could forgive us.

Ratsass loves Israel too! Speaks volumes.

Oh yeah......just keep putting your coins in the basket. Your choice.

Comment by jim on June 13, 2012 at 8:13pm: I could go even further but I will be crossing the line here.

Comment by jim on June 13, 2012 at 8:12pm: You DAMN RIGHT!

here's my thing I don't want to step on any toes here but.... for the life of me I can't understand how anyone can support a church, cause, or religion that molests children and covers it up. They won't turn in these priests they just shuffle them around and get them out of the heat and limelight. And yet people still flock to them pay them and even allow their children to attend bible school where these molesters hang out.

is it me or are these people crazy,

Comment by suzie on June 13, 2012 at 8:02pm: Sister Faustina's blasphemous Image of Divine Mercy. Notice the occult New Age pyramid.

Comment by suzie on June 13, 2012 at 7:56pm: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

(Revelation 17:5)!

Notice the Catholic religion calls herself a woman. The Bible calls Catholicism a whore, and what a GREAT WHORE she is—committing spiritual fornication with the kings and rulers of the earth (nearly every king throughout history has had some type of political, economic or religious ties with the Vatican). Read about how Nazi Germany and the Vatican worked together to murder millions of ... in the holocaust! Read The Vatican's Holocaust. She's DRUNKEN with the blood of the saints. Study the Inquisitions—the torture and killing of tens-of-millions of people.Oh, even the antichrist is naked in light of God's word.

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists (Popes and priests); whereby we know that it is the last time" —1st John 2:18

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color (official Vatican colors), and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls (the Vatican is filthy rich), having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations (the Holocaust, inquisitions, etc.) and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY (very few people realize where the Catholic religion started), BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS (who seduce people into their damnable religion) AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” —Revelation 17:4,5

(2nd Corinthians 11:14)