Five Vatican employees, two of which are senior officials, have been temporarily suspended as part of an investigation into a possible diversion of funds set aside for real estate investments.
Yesterday, the Vatican Gendarmerie had to register its offices with the Secretariat of State and the Financial Information Authority, which is dedicated to detecting money laundering. Additionally, “documents and electronic devices” were seized, likely meaning either laptops or cellphones.
The investigation is a result of the claim made by Vatican Bank's Institute for Religious Works and a general audit made last June and July, due to suspicious operations at the end of the period.
Javier Martínez-Brocal
Translated: Rachel Dobrzynski
