VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says it is “perplexed and surprised” by a money laundering probe that resulted in the seizure of euro23 million ($30 million) from the Vatican bank and an investigation of the company’s chairman.
Italian financial police made the seizure Tuesday as a precaution and prosecutors placed the chairman and another official of the Institute for Religious Works under investigation for alleged mistakes linked to violations of Italy’s anti-laundering laws.
In a statement, the Vatican says it had been working for some time to make its finances more transparent to comply with anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering regulations. It expresses full trust in the head of the bank, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, and the director-general.
