Key suspect in Vatican corruption case detained in London
ROME — The main suspect in the Vatican’s corruption investigation into a London real estate venture was taken into custody Tuesday in London after he appeared for his first extradition hearing, his lawyers said.
The British judge determined businessman Gianluigi Torzi was
a flight risk and ordered him detained. A statement from Torzi’s lawyers said
they would argue he is not a flight risk at a new audience expected in the next
48 hours.
British authorities were acting on an arrest warrant issued
last month by a Rome judge accusing Torzi of false billing, tax evasion and
money laundering. Torzi has denied the allegations.
In addition, Vatican prosecutors have accused Torzi of
extorting 15 million euros ($17.8 million) from the Holy See to turn over
ownership of a luxury London building in which the Vatican’s secretariat of
state was a majority shareholder.
Neither Torzi nor anyone else under investigation has been
indicted in the 2-year-old Vatican probe.
Torzi denies wrongdoing. Contracts show top Holy See officials
signed off on Torzi’s involvement in the deal, and even Pope Francis knew about
it and had met with Torzi.
Comments
Post a Comment