(See related)
The television production company at
the centre of a Vatican scandal reported on Tuesday is owned by
Ettore Bernabei, a former director-general of Italian public
broadcaster Rai.
Bernabei is considered a friend of Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone who, according to published reports Tuesday in German
daily Bild, is under investigation by Vatican prosecutors
probing allegations that the former secretary of state embezzled
15 million euros from Vatican accounts.
Bild, citing unofficial Holy See sources, said the money
was moved in December 2012 to an unidentified television
producer who was a friend of Bertone.
Bild also reported that the money relates to a convertible
bond for television production company Lux Vide, owned by
Bernabei.
ANSA was told by company producers Matilde and Luca
Bernabei that the bond was repaid with Lux Vide shares to a
value they said was estimated by international accounting firm
Deloitte.
Lux Vide, they said, is 52% controlled by the Bernabei
family and ended fiscal 2013 with revenues of approximately 41
million euros.
Bertone has denied any wrongdoing, saying that the
transaction was conducted in a normal manner and that former
pope Benedict XVI "had been informed of the financial
transaction at Lux Vide".
"I repeat there is no problem," said Bertone.
The cardinal had been appointed Vatican secretary of state
by Benedict in 2006 and served in the position until last year,
when Pope Francis replaced him with Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
During Bertone's time in the role, the Vatican was rocked
by the so-called VatiLeaks scandal which saw confidential Church
documents leaked to the media by the Benedict's butler in 2012.
As well, earlier this year, Pope Francis shook up
administration of the scandal-plagued Vatican bank, replacing
four members of a five-cardinal oversight committee.
Bertone was among those ousted after less than a year into
the start of their five-year mandate which began under Benedict.
Much of the damage to the image of the Vatican bank,
officially known as the Institute of Religious Works (IOR),
happened under Bertone's command, when it came under scrutiny
for allegedly not doing enough to prevent money laundering.
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