The Vatican Friday asked for cooperation from Italy in an inquiry
into Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, accused of corruption and fraud at the
Vatican Bank.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi
told journalists Friday the Vatican court "has forwarded, through the
usual diplomatic channels, a formal request ... for collaboration with
the Italian judiciary" regarding the Vatican's open investigation into
Scarano.
The Vatican said it would show "zero tolerance" if allegations
against Scarano turn out to be true, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.
"The Vatican is determined to pursue a zero-tolerance policy on
possible financial irregularities, whether by clerics or lay persons,"
Lombardi said, citing a statement from the new head of the Vatican Bank,
Ernst von Freyberg, who replaced Paolo Cipriani when he and Deputy
Director Massimo Tulli resigned July 2 following Scarano's arrest.
Investigators said he and two others worked together to illegally move more than $26 million from Switzerland to Italy.