Vatican cleric among accused smugglers
VATICAN CITY • Three men, including a Vatican cleric, were arrested Friday by Italian police for allegedly trying to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) in cash into the country from Switzerland by private jet.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, who is already being investigated in a purported moneylaundering plot involving the Vatican bank, the Institute for relgious Works, is accused of corruption and slander.
His arrest came two days after Pope Francis created a commission of inquiry into the Vatican bank to get to the bottom of the problems that have plagued it for decades and contributed to the impression it is an unregulated, offshore tax haven.
Francis has made clear he has no tolerance for corruption or Vatican officials who use their jobs for personal ambition or gain. Prosecutor Nello rossi said the Swiss operation involved three people: Msgr. Scarano, a recently suspended accountant in the Vatican’s main finance office; Italian financier Giovanni Carenzio; and Giovanni Zito, then a member of the military police’s agency for security and information.
He detailed a remarkable plot — uncovered by phone wiretaps — in which the three
This operation was meticulously planned in all its details
planned to bring into Italy €20 million in cash from Mr. Carenzio’s Swiss bank account without paying customs.
Silverio Sica, Msgr. Scarano’s lawyer, said his client was something of a middleman: The money belonged to friends who had given it to Mr. Carenzio to invest, but wanted it back.
Mr. rossi identified the friends as members of the Italian shipping family d’Amico and said the money was “presumably” being held in Switzerland to avoid paying Italian taxes.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Zito called in sick to his job one day in July 2012, rented a private plane and flew with Mr. Carenzio to Locarno, Switzerland.
There, Mr. Carenzio was supposed to withdraw the cash and give it to Mr. Zito to take back.
The plan was so detailed, there was even to be an armed police escort waiting at the airport to bring the money to Scarano’s apartment in rome.
“This operation was meticulously planned in all its details,” Mr. rossi said, noting Mr. Zito was chosen because his high-ranking position in the Carabinieri would have enabled him to pass through the airport customs area without being stopped.
However, the plot fell through and Mr. Zito returned empty-handed, but still demanded his fee of e600,000 for the operation from Msgr. Scarano.
The cleric wrote a cheque for €400,000, which he deposited. He also gave Mr. Zito a second cheque for €200,000, but to prevent it from being deposited, reported it as missing.