Vatican monsignor on trial for alleged smuggling accused of money-laundering via Vatican bank | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Vatican monsignor on trial for alleged smuggling accused of money-laundering via Vatican bank

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. (AP Photo/Francesco Pecoraro)

VATICAN CITY - A Vatican monsignor already on trial for allegedly plotting to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy has been ordered re-arrested for allegedly using his Vatican bank accounts to launder money.

The financial police in the southern city of Salerno said in a statement Tuesday that Monsignor Nunzio Scarano's Vatican bank accounts had been used to transfer millions of euros (dollars) in fictitious donations from offshore companies. Scarano's lawyer has said his client was merely taking money from donors who thought they were funding a home for the terminally ill.

Scarano is on trial in Rome on the smuggling charges following his July arrest, reduced to house arrest because of his ailing health. In announcing the new detention Tuesday Salerno police said millions had also been seized.

News from © The Associated Press, 2014
The Associated Press

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