The conclusion of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, which reveals the embezzlement of at least three million by two high-ranking priests over the last eight years, fell like a bomb in the heart of the Catholic Church of Greece. In fact, as stated in the conclusion, the 3 million euros ended up in nightclub entrepreneurs, as… investments. The issue reached the headquarters of the Catholic Church, the Vatican.

The Anti-Money Laundering Authority has already moved to freeze the bank accounts and assets of nightclub owners in the Peloponnese, as they were the recipients of large sums of money given to them by a high-up in the Catholic Church hierarchy as well as a priest.

Labyrinth of Money – Was Cash Also Used?

It all started 7-8 years ago. The tangle seems to have started to unravel when a bank found that large sums of money were being handled. In particular, the bank informed the Anti-Money Laundering Authority that there is a “strange” transfer of a large amount of money from the accounts of the Catholic Church to the accounts of businessmen. The Authority’s investigation, which lasted several months, revealed indications that large sums of money have been transacted over the past 7-8 years from specific bank accounts – belonging to high-ranking hierarchs and ending up with five nightclub owners.

According to the information, the Authority has already forwarded its findings to the prosecution. In this context, a preliminary investigation into the case is expected, where the alleged suspects will be asked to testify, the two priests for embezzlement and the five nightclub owners for money laundering.

Based on the route of the money there are attempts to lose the traces: the money left the accounts of the Catholic Church and sometimes went to the accounts of the two hierarchs, mainly to the accounts of one hierarch, and then to the five businessmen.

The Authority estimates that it is possible that the money is much more than 3 million euros, as there are suspicions that the prelates also received and gave cash.

The Anti-Money Laundering Authority has informed the corresponding Vatican Authority, as they should take action against the two priests, filing a lawsuit.

Information about the “who is who” of the primary recipient of the money

According to the information, one of the businessmen – specifically the one who operates in Patras – and is the main recipient of the money, is said to be known to both the judicial and prosecuting authorities. The same information states that he has been accused in the past of extortion, threats, forgery and fraud, while between 2009 and 2010 he served a prison sentence for the offense of fraud. He has also been convicted of extorting a hierarch of the Orthodox church. One of the convictions, which related to the offense of fraud and forgery, was carried out in Syros where the Catholic Church is also based. 20 days ago, with a transfer of 50,000 euros from the Catholic Church, he allegedly bought a night club in the area of ​​Patras, while he had rented three more shops.

Catholic Church of Greece: We have no information

“After today’s reports on embezzlement and money laundering in the press, we declare that there has been no official information on the matter,” the Catholic Church of Greece said in its announcement yesterday.