Vatican launches criminal probe into leaks

The scandal — and the rare threat to punish the perpetrators within the Vatican's own legal system of criminal and administrative sanctions — has come at an exceedingly delicate time for the Vatican, which is seeking to win European approval for its efforts to ensure its finances are transparent and that its laws to fight money laundering and terror financing meet international norms.

Leaks of memos alleging corruption in the awarding of Vatican contracts, mismanagement in the Vatican's finances, infighting and disputes over the Vatican's new anti-money laundering efforts haven't helped the bid.

Click on the following to read the story:  http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-launches-criminal-probe-leaks-180247337.html

Documents leaked to the Italian press over the last few weeks have shed light on dark power struggles between senior cardinals, alleged corruption and nepotism in the running of the Vatican administration, and a mysterious prediction that the 84-year-old pontiff would die within a year, possibly as a result of an assassination attempt.

Msgr Becciu described whistle-blowers as "cowardly" and "deeply disloyal" and warned that they would face the full force of the law from Vatican prosecutors. They had abused the trust placed in them by leaking the documents, he said.

The investigation will be conducted by a tribunal and will probe all departments in the Vatican administration.
Read more of The Telegraph's story by clicking on the following:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/9151418/Pope-sets-up-criminal-investigation-into-Vatican-leaks.html

The Vatican has opened a rare criminal investigation into unauthorised leaks to the Italian media of confidential documents, its official paper reports.
Read more from the BBC News:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17410490