Prosecutors investigate Vatican Bank mafia link

Father Treppiedi, 36, was serving as a priest in Alcamo, near Trapani, said to
be the richest parish on the Mafia’s island stronghold of Sicily, and he was
suspended after a series of questionable transactions of church funds and
which has also led to his local bishop Francesco Micciche being sacked.

Trapani prosecutor Marcello Viola made the request six weeks ago for details
of the account held by Father Treppiedi at the Institute of Religious Works
to be disclosed but according to reports in Italian media, as yet the go
ahead has still not been given by the Vatican.

In particular prosecutors are said to be looking at financial transactions
made through Father Treppiedi’s account at the Vatican Bank between 2007 and
2009 and which came to almost one million euros but paperwork explaining the
source of the money is said to be missing.

Attention is also focusing on several land and property deals made by the
parish which is in Messina Denaro’s heartland in the area around Trapani and
where he still commands fear and respect.

There is speculation that Gotti Tedeschi was aware of the possible Mafia link
and was about to name names and police seized paperwork from his home which
is said to detail his suspicions and which he had prepared for a handful of
trusted sources as he feared his life was possible in danger.

In a statement prosecutor Viola said:”We have made a request for
information to the Vatican City State in the spirit of collaboration with
regard to an investigation into sums of money in financial transactions
undertaken by the Diocese of Trapani.”

Transactions by the Vatican Bank are already under the spotlight with leading
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera saying Gotti Tedeschi was aware of
accounts held by “politicians, shady intermediaries, contractors and
senior (Italian) officials, as well as people believed to be fronts for
Mafia bosses.”

Of particular interest are said to be property investments and property sales
that could potentially have been used to disguise money transfers and
launder money – all this in the light of report earlier this year that the
Vatican Bank was not completely transparent in its dealings despite efforts
to be so.

The latest development comes as prosecutors in the Vatican continue to
question the Pope’s butler Paolo Gabriele, 46, in connection with the
leaking of documents which then ended up in a whistle blowing book published
by an Italian journalist called His Holiness.

No-one from the Vatican was immediately available to comment.

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