George Pell was trapped in a ‘Vatican conspiracy’

The first independent auditors to the Vatican believe Cardinal George Pell was a victim after becoming enmeshed in a conspiracy aimed at preventing a clean up of the Holy See’s financial systems.

George Pell at home in Rome. Picture: Victor Sokolowicz

The first independent auditors to the Vatican, now fighting for justice after being forced to resign in mysterious circumstances, believe Cardinal George Pell became enmeshed in a conspiracy to block reform of the Holy See’s financial systems.

Libero Milone and his deputy Ferruccio Panicco reported directly to the Pope and also worked closely with the team assembled by Cardinal Pell during his tenure as the Vatican’s chief financial officer. He had been tasked with leading a reform of the Holy See’s labyrinthine property and investment entities.

Both Mr Milone and Cardinal Pell clashed repeatedly with Angelo Becciu, now standing trial in the Vatican for corruption. Mr Milone was sacked 10 days before Cardinal Pell returned to Australia to face an investigation into claims of sexual abuse.

Initially convicted, Cardinal Pell served more than a year in prison before the High Court unanimously found him innocent.

Pope Francis meets Libero Milone (R), the Vatican's auditor general, at the Vatican in 2016.

Both Cardinal Pell and Mr Milone have raised questions about a mysterious payment of more than $2m sent to Australia during 2017 and this year.

Cardinal Becciu confirmed to the Vatican Tribunal that he had authorised a transfer, saying it was destined for the office of Neustar, a tech security firm in Melbourne, to register the internet domain .catholic.

Speaking to The Australian this week, both Mr Milone and Mr Panicco confirmed their belief that Cardinal Pell was caught in a deliberate conspiracy aimed at derailing a clean-up of the Holy See finances. “He is the victim of a real, villainous and infamous conspiracy,” Mr Milone said.

“We were faced with obstacles and blocked in every way.

 

“In modern countries, if audits and financial investigations are blocked, it is deemed a crime and those responsible go to jail.”

Mr Milone said he thought that the behaviour of certain cardinals in Italy, Britain and the US would be deemed criminal.

“I have said this from the ­beginning, that I believe it is a part of a conspiracy,” he said. “I spoke to Pell at the time and he told me that if he was called back, he would return to Australia to defend himself even though he would have been immune if he had stayed in Rome.

“We know what the final outcome was and yet when he returned to the Vatican, nobody speaks to him. He was entrapped and maybe there is a connection between getting me out and his return to Australia … our dates of exit were basically the same.

“Some of the accusations against me are of spying. As Pell has said, we were not spying, we were auditing. Now everyone talks about Sloane Ave but nobody talks about High Street Kensington, which saw €90m go from APSA accounts in contravention to Pell’s opposition – it was one of his duties.

“We have said that some people have been holding the Vatican to ransom and that the hope is they would soon be discovered.

“Well, few of those people are in power now …”