World

Australian authorities probe alleged Vatican payments linked to Cardinal Pell case

Cardinal George Pell arrives at the County Court in Melbourne in February last year. Picture by AP Photo/Andy Brownbill
Cardinal George Pell arrives at the County Court in Melbourne in February last year. Picture by AP Photo/Andy Brownbill Cardinal George Pell arrives at the County Court in Melbourne in February last year. Picture by AP Photo/Andy Brownbill

AUSTRALIAN federal police have referred information regarding alleged payments from the Vatican linked to the Cardinal George Pell abuse case to the state of Victoria’s anti-corruption body.

The country's financial crimes regulator, Austrac, revealed that it had provided information to police after it was asked to examine claims that around £640,000 had been paid from Vatican funds to a witness.

Police said it is being reviewed and had “concurrently referred aspects of the matter” to Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac).

Cardinal Pell was charged with multiple sexual offences in June 2017 and convicted of five charges the following year after an earlier jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Victoria’s court of appeal upheld the convictions last year before Australia’s high court overturned the convictions in April.

Italian newspapers have claimed that Cardinal Giovanni Becciu, a rival of Cardinal Pell, was suspected of paying an Australian witness in the case.

Cardinal Becciu has denied making any such payments and the lawyer for the man who accused Cardinal Pell of sexually assaulting him in the 1990s has similarly denied any connection.

A senate estimates hearing on Tuesday heard Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells reveal she had written to Austrac about the alleged payments, which was later confirmed by the financial crimes regulator.

A federal police spokeswoman confirmed it received information from Austrac on the matter.

Cardinal Pell’s barrister earlier this month said it was incumbent on Australian and international authorities to investigate the allegations.

Cardinals Becciu and Pell had been at odds over the Australian’s efforts to overhaul the management of Vatican finances.

La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera newspapers reported that Cardinal Pell’s reformist agenda threatened to expose alleged corruption.

Cardinal Becciu resigned last month amid the corruption scandal, saying he had been asked to step aside but denying wrongdoing.