Scandals are not unknown in the Vatican, but this time, the latest financial scandal hitting the Church of Rome originates in Greece. The Bishop of Syros and Catholic priests are implicated in a serious financial corruption scandal, as €3 million from the Greek Catholic Church’s funds were allegedly funneled into accounts of nightlife entrepreneurs in Achaia.
Two high-ranking Catholic priests and six businessmen, one of whom has a criminal history for extorting an Orthodox Metropolitan, are under investigation. The Anti-Money Laundering Authority, led by former Supreme Court Deputy Prosecutor Charalambos Vourliotis, ordered the freezing of bank accounts of those involved. The case is currently under review by the Syros Prosecutor’s Office.
The businessmen reportedly received large sums of money via secretive channels from four foundations affiliated with the Catholic Church in Greece, which are managed by two high-ranking Catholic priests, one of whom is of Polish origin.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Vourliotis’s order does not include freezing the bank accounts of the Catholic Church foundations in Greece themselves.
Following the freeze on the accounts of the six businessmen and the transfer of the case file to Aegean Appellate Prosecutor Odysseas Tsormpatzoglou, Mr. Vourliotis notified the Holy See at the Vatican in writing.
The investigation began when the Anti-Money Laundering Authority received alerts from banks, citing suspicious transfers of large sums from the Greek Catholic Church’s foundations to accounts of nightclub owners in the Achaia capital. The Authority mobilized immediately, conducting a thorough review and utilizing all legal resources to determine the full extent of the money laundering operation and those involved.
The probe has revealed that approximately €3 million was diverted to nightclubs for various activities involving prostitution, drugs, and protection schemes. This flow of funds originated from specific bank accounts managed by the two high-ranking Catholic priests in Greece, eventually reaching the accounts of specific nightclub owners as investments in such activities. These underground routes reportedly started over eight years ago.
The investigation indicated severe criminal acts, including embezzlement and money laundering, linked to illegal activities.
One of the six businessmen, considered the mastermind of the scheme, had previously been convicted of extorting an Orthodox Metropolitan who died just days after the businessman’s sentencing, adding a sinister twist to the case.
Following the Anti-Money Laundering Authority’s report, Prosecutor Tsormpatzoglou ordered a preliminary criminal investigation, summoning the six businessmen to Syros to provide explanations to the investigating judge. The owner of the betting agency involved, along with others implicated during the preliminary investigation, will also be called to testify.
Lastly, the two high-ranking priests of the Greek Catholic Church, whose roles in the case are still under scrutiny, will appear before the Prosecutor’s Office in Syros.
