Cops eye George Pell case cash transfers from the Vatican

The AFP is examining evidence of money transfers to Australia allegedly linked to ­attempts to influence George Pell’s trial.

Cardinal George Pell.

The Australian Federal Police is examining evidence of money transfers from the Vatican to Australia allegedly linked to ­attempts to adversely influence the trial of Cardinal George Pell.

The investigation was launched after the AFP and Victoria Police were passed information by Australia’s financial crimes watchdog.

Austrac has confirmed it ­investigated reports that more than $1m had been transferred “allegedly from Vatican funds to person or persons in Australia” and that it “provided information” to the AFP.

NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wills used a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday to ask the chief executive of Austrac, Nicole Rose, about “the alleged transfer of €700,000 ($1.1m) of Vatican funds to person or persons in Australia”.

Ms Rose told the Senate estimates hearings that she could “confirm Austrac has looked into the matter and we’ve provided ­information to the AFP and to Victoria Police”.

She said they were the only agencies Austrac had supplied the information to.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells also asked the secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Mike Pezzullo, whether his staff had been asked for the matter to be investigated.

“I’m not aware of anything having been received by my department,” he said.

Three weeks ago, Vatican authorities investigating the disappearance and transfer of millions of euros, as well as fraud and embezzlement, were told that $1.1m had been sent to Australia to help secure evidence against Cardinal Pell in his sexual abuse trial.

Giovanni Angelo Becciu.

Amid a mounting scandal about improper payments, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu was removed from his post at the Vatican secretariat. He also relinquished his rights as a cardinal.

Cardinal Becciu was an ­opponent to Cardinal Pell when the Australian was appointed as the head of Vatican finances and started a campaign to clean out corruption and financial waste.

Italian newspapers have ­reported that Vatican investi­gators were told money was sent to Australia to help the case against Cardinal Pell.

Cardinal Becciu has ­stren­uously denied any ­wrongdoing and threatened legal action against Italian newspapers.

After two trials and an appeal, and spending more than a year in jail between 2018 and 2019, Cardinal Pell’s conviction for allegedly abusing a choir boy in Melbourne was unanimously thrown out by the High Court this year.

Cardinal Pell has since ­returned to the Vatican. His return coincided with a financial scandal that has led to the suspension of five ­Vatican employees and arrest of two people in relation to fraud, ­embezzlement and money ­laundering.