After
last month's seizure of $32 million (US) from Vatican Bank, a group of
Holocaust survivors from the former Yugoslavia has asked the European
Commission to look into claims that the Vatican Bank laundered valuables
stolen by Nazi allies.
Jonathan Levy,
a Washington-based attorney representing the survivors and their heirs
wrote in a letter to EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs,
Olli Rehn, EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, Olli Rehn,
“We are requesting the commission open an inquiry into allegations of
money laundering of Holocaust victim assets by financial organs
associated with, or which are agencies of, the Vatican City State,"
reported Bloomberg.
The Vatican Bank, officially known as the Institute for Works of
Religion (IOR), recently won a decade long court battle in the United
States in which Holocaust survivors and their heirs from the former
Yugoslavia and Ukraine alleged the IOR had laundered assets stolen from
Jews, Gypsies and Serbs killed or captured by the Nazi-backed regime of
wartime Croatia.
The group had asked for $2 billion in restitution but the case was
dismissed on grounds that the Vatican Bank enjoyed immunity under the US
Foreign Service Immunities Act, which could prevent foreign governments
from facing lawsuits in the United States.
Levy is now arguing the European Commission should have the ability and
authority to probe the IOR as the Vatican promised to implement EU laws
against money laundering, counterfeiting and fraud, in return for using
the euro as legal tender within the Vatican City State.
Rome prosecutors are also looking to show that the IOR is covered under European law reports Bloomberg.
The Vatican Bank is a privately held institute located inside Vatican
City run by a professional bank CEO who reports directly to a committee
of cardinals, and ultimately to the Pope.
Jonathan Levy also represents the approximately 3000 surviving Duplessis Orphans,
which is widely recognized as the largest case of institution-based
youth sexual abuse, torture, murder, human experimentation and
exploitation in Canadian history.
The group had received minor
compensation from the Canadian government, they are now also seeking
direct compensation from the Roman Catholic organizations involved.
SIC: DJ/INT'L