TEN PEOPLE CHARGED AS VATICAN CLOSES INVESTIGATION INTO LONDON PROPERTY SCANDAL.

Brülhart, Msgr Carlino, Crasso, Di Ruzza, Marogna, Mincione, Squillace, Tirabassi, Torzi, and Cardinal Becciu will be brought to trial following investigations into London property deal.

By Vatican News

The long and complex investigation carried out by Promoter of Justice Gian Piero Milano, Adjunct Alessandro Diddi and by Gianluca Perrone followed from an inquiry undertaken by the Vatican Gendarmeria led by Commander Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti. The probe led to the examination of an enormous number of documents, electronic equipment sequestered from the suspects, as well as the comparison of witness testimony. The president of Vatican City State’s Tribunal, Giuseppe Pignatone, has ordered the subpoena of ten people after receiving the request presented by the Office of the Promoter of Justice, referred to in the Holy See Press Office’s statement. The first phase of the investigation ends with this summons. Now the documentation gathered will be examined by the Tribunal during the public debate involving both the prosecution and the defense. The first hearing is scheduled for 27 July.

The following persons will be going to trial: René Brülhart (former president of AIF), who is charged with the crime of abuse of office; Msgr Mauro Carlino (former secretary of the Substitute of the Secretariat of State), charged with extortion and abuse of office; Enrico Crasso (financial broker who managed investments for the Secretariat of State for decades) is charged with the crimes of embezzlement, corruption, extortion, money laundering and self-laundering, fraud, abuse of office, materially falsifying public deeds committed privately, and falsifying internal agreements; Tommaso Di Ruzza (former director of AIF, Supervisory and Financial Information Authority) is being charged with embezzlement, and violating confidentiality; Cecilia Marogna (a woman who received considerable sums from the Secretariat of State for intelligence services) is being charged with extortion; Raffaele Mincione (financial broker who allegedly made the Secretariat of State underwrite large shares of the fund that owned the London property at 60 Sloan Avenue, and who then used that money for his own speculative investments) is being charged with embezzlement, fraud, abuse of office, appropriation and money laundering; Nicola Squillace (a lawyer involved in the negotiations) is being charged with fraud, appropriation, money laundering and self-laundering; Fabrizio Tirabassi (employed as a notetaker in the Administrative Office of the Secretariat of State, who allegedly played a leading role in the matter) is charged with corruption, extortion, embezzlement, fraud and abuse of office; Gianluigi Torzi (the broker called to help the Holy See get out of the fund owned by Mincione, and who succeeded in liquidating a total of 15 million so the property could return to its legitimate owners) is being accused of extortion, embezzlement, fraud, appropriation, money laundering and self-laundering.

Some elements also emerged against Cardinal Angelo Becciu, reads the statement from the Holy See Press Office. In his case, charges include embezzlement, abuse of office in complicity with others, and subornation.

2019 investigation

The press statement confirms that the investigation got underway in July 2019 after the Istituto per le Opere di Religione [commonly known as the Vatican Bank] and the Auditor General’s Office reported that “there was complete collaboration between the Office of the Promoter and the Judicial Police section of the Gendarmerie Corps. Preliminary activities were also carried out through close and productive collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office in Rome and the Economic and Financial Police Unit (G.I.C.E.F.) of the Guardia di Finanza in Rome. Cooperation between the Prosecutor’s Office of Milan, Bari, Trent, Cagliari and Sassari and their respective judicial police offices was also appreciated.”

“Initial activities carried out with rogatorial commissions in numerous foreign countries (United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, Jersey, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland) brought to light a vast web of relationships with operators in the financial markets that generated substantial losses for Vatican finances which also drew from those resources destined for the Holy Father’s personal acts of charity.”

“The judicial process,” the statement emphasizes, “is directly connected to the directives and reforms” of Pope Francis, “in his work of transparency and remediation of Vatican finances, a work that, according to the hypothesis of the prosecution, was countered by illicit and detrimental speculative activities on a reputational level in the terms indicated in the request to press charges.”

Mincione’s investment fund

A primary and important chapter in the investigation concerns the Secretariat of State’s investment in Raffale Mincione’s Athena Capital Global Opportunities Fund operative between June 2013 and February 2014. The Secretariat of State borrowed 200 million dollars from Credit Suisse to invest in Mincione’s fund (100 million in movable goods, 100 million in immovable goods related to the property in London). The high-risk investment brought a serious loss to the Holy See. By 30 September 2018, 18 million euro of the initial investment were lost on these shares. The overall loss, however, is estimated to be a much larger amount. Mincione used the Vatican’s money in imprudent transactions and in attempts to take over banking institutions in crisis. Before such disastrous results, the Secretariat of State tried to get out of the investment by purchasing the property.

Torzi and extorsion enter the picture
Provided in the transaction was the payment of 40 million pounds by the Secretariat of State to Mincione in exchange for his shares. To this end, the Secretariat of State decided to entrust the transaction to another broker, Gianluigi Torzi, who later succeeded in maintaining control for himself, circumventing the Holy See, allegedly thanks to internal complicity.

From the documentation produced by the Vatican magistrates, it appears that Mincione and Torzi were actually in agreement to execute the transaction with the Secretariat of State. The Vatican Magistrates indicate that Enrico Crasso and Fabrizio Tirabassi were two key figures.

They believe they may have obtained commissions from Mincione and cash payments from Torzi for bringing him into the Vatican. Thanks to internal complicity, Torzi managed to get a Share Purchase Agreement signed that removed control of the London property from the Secretariat of State. He did this by creating 1,000 shares in GUTT SA but granted voting rights only to these shares he held. Meanwhile, the other 30,00 shares owned by the Secretariat of State did not carry the right to vote. Thus, the Secretariat of State found itself with another broker in the Vatican who solely possessed the power to make decisions.

Officials deceived

The Vatican magistrates hold that “neither Msgr. Perlasca, who signed the Share Purchase Agreement, nor his Superiors, the Substitute Edgar Peña Parra, and above all Cardinal Pietro Parolin had been effectively informed to be fully aware of the juridical effects that the different categories of actions would cause.” The Substitute’s signature, necessary to conclude the agreement because he holds power of attorney, was obtained after the fact and without the superiors being made aware of the “tactic” that allowed Torzi to maintain control of everything. To obtain control over the property, and force Torzi out of the picture, 15 million euro was extorted from the Secretariat of State through payments to the broker for irregular reasons, thanks to the internal complicity of the suspects against whom indictments have been requested.

Cardinal Becciu

The Cardinal, former Subsitute of the Secretariat of State, did not become a suspect immediately. He became involved because the magistrates accused him of “interference” and allege that he was behind the offers to acquire the building that emerged suddenly at the end of May 2020, just a few days prior to the interrogation of Torzi.

According to testimony, Cardinal Becciu also tried to get Perlasca to recant. Payments made by the Secretariat of State to Cecilia Marogna at Becciu’s request were added to the investigation. Between 20 December 2018 and 11 July 2019, the company she owned received payments made by the Secretariat of State for 575,000 euro. A letter rogatory allowed the investigation to ascertain that this sum “was mostly used to make purchases that were not compatible, and therefore, unjustifiable, with the corporate purpose of the company.”

In the end, the magistrates contend that Becciu financed his brother Antonino’s cooperative with 600,000 euro that came from the funds belonging to the Italian Bishops’ Conference and 225,000 euro that came from funds belonging to the Secretariat of State. The donations were allegedly “used for purposes other than the charitable purposes for which they were intended.”

PAT SAYS

This is a very damning report into corruption in the Vatican and its global financial dealings.

Some very senior figures, including a cardinal are castigated and are to face charges.

A great deal of money, originally given by loyal Catholics found its eas into the dark, deep pockets of Roman clergy, their families and contacts.

There is one great lesson:

DONT GIVE ANY MONEY TO ANYONE OR ANYTHING WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

NORTHAMPTON CLERICAL CHANGES

This blog has a special place in its heart for Northampton diocese and it’s ex Oscott bishop David Oakley.

OAKLEY’S FIRST APPOINTMENTS:

Bishop David has announced the first set of clergy moves since his appointment as Bishop in March 2020.

Fr Andy Ollard is appointed Parish Priest to St Bernardine of Siena at Buckingham, with a brief also to reach out to the students in the neighbouring University.

Fr Roy Karakkattu, MSFS is appointed Priest in Charge to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour at Chesham Bois and also at St Aidan’s, Little Chalfont.

Fr David Donaghue is appointed to the Cathedral hub of parishes, which now comprises of the Cathedral, Kingsthorpe, East Hunsbury and Towcester. His principal ministry will be with Mission Northampton as we seek to develop models and best practice in evangelisation.

We welcome Fr Ebin Thomas to the Diocese, a priest belonging to the Syro-Malabar Eparchy. Fr Ebin is appointed Assistant Priest at St Edward’s, Kettering, and will have a particular ministry with the Syro-Malabar community.

Canon John Udris is returning to the diocese following 10 years as a spiritual director at Oscott Seminary. He is appointed Parish Priest of St Peter’s, Marlow.

Canon Brendan Killeen is appointed Parish Priest of The Sacred Heart, Weston Favell and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Great Billing.

Fr Jerry Manomey is appointed Priest in Charge to Sacred Heart, Flitwick.

Fr Pius Amoako is appointed Parish Priest of St Paul’s, Thrapston, St Thomas More, Raunds and The Most Holy Name of Jesus, Oundle.

Fr James Evans is appointed Priest in Charge at St Thomas More, Towcester. This appointment is in addition to his responsibilities as Bishop’s Secretary.

Fr Andrew Coy is appointed Assistant Priest to the Cathedral.

We welcome Fr Martin McDonald OCD back to the Diocese. He returns to Gerrards Cross where he will be Parish Priest.

Fr Ken Payne is stepping down as Parish Priest in Little Chalfont and will continue to live in the presbytery there for the time being.

Fr Michael Turner will be retiring as parish priest of St Peters in Marlow.

An Oscott pal of Oakley’s – Canon John Udris (pronounced “Uterus” by Oscott seminarians) is being sent to the “plumb” parish of Marlow near Henly on Thames and isvalso being appointed “amicus clero ( the priest’s friend 😁 ) by Oakley.

Jobs for the boys 😬

EARLY DUBLIN APPOINTMENTS

News from the Archdiocese of Dublin.

Fr. Paul Callan is going on sabbatical.

The three new VGs are:

a)Fr. Gareth Byrne, lately of Mater Dei, DCU;

b)Fr. Ciaran O’Carroll, newly appointed as PP as opposed to Administrator of Donnybrook Parish, who has relinquished the office of Vicar for Clergy to Fr. Eoin Thynne; and,

c )Fr. Donal Roche.

Majority of appointments in September.

GROWING ON MY GARDEN WALL