A conman with fraud on his mind has left his devout 86-year-old victim unable to pray the Lord’s Prayer. Elizabeth Risk says the line “Forgive us our trespasses” has stuck in her throat throat ever since Nigel Thompson (pictured) befriended her at her retirement village and emptied her bank account. He conned $20,000 from her. Read more
A group of con men who dressed up as Catholic clergy to swindle victims out of millions of euros as been caught by Italian police. The thieves’ ruse involved dressing as priests, monsignors and cardinals and presenting themselves as “intermediaries of the Vatican” to business owners in financial trouble. They offered their victims seemingly advantageous Read more
Vatican police on Friday arrested Gianluigi Torzi, an Italian middleman who was part of a controversial deal in which the Vatican used Church money to purchase a luxury building in London as an investment. Torzi, who was arrested after questioning by Vatican magistrates, was accused of extortion, embezzlement, aggravated fraud and money laundering, the Vatican Read more
When emergency workers rushed to the scene of a Santa Rosa car accident June 19, they found Father Oscar Diaz, a local pastor, stuck in the car with a broken hip and other injuries. They also found $18,305.86, in cash. Diaz told police the money was his salary; it wasn’t. Continue reading
The Vatican fraud trial involving Giuseppe Profiti, former president of the foundation governing Bambino Gesù children’s hospital and Massimo Spina, the foundation’s former treasurer is underway. The court is currently hearing conflicting reports about Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s role in the fraud investigation. Bertone is the former Secretary of State under Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Read Read more
Norway’s Catholic Church has been fined 1m kroner (NZ$201,120) for puffing up its membership numbers. In addition, Oslo diocese’s chief administrative officer has been charged with aggravated fraud. The Government in Norway finances the churches. The amount they pay is in proportion to the number of church members. Accusers say the Oslo diocese searched telephone Read more
A peaceful protest by some 60-80 people outside a public meeting in support of vulnerable migrant students has been such a threat to New Zealand’s security that the police officers present had to be deployed with Tasers. The protest was held on Monday outside a public meeting presented by the Finance Minister Bill English and Read more
Anglican and Catholic Bishops and other Catholic leaders have joined trade unions in asking the government to stop the deportation of 150 Indian students. The students’ visa documents have been found to be forged by agents in India. The students’ representatives, who include a lawyer and leaders from the Catholic and Anglican churches and the Read more
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Family is under investigation by Italian authorities for alleged financial irregularities. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia is being investigated in connection with the sale of the historic San Girolamo castle four years ago. Two employees of Paglia’s former diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia have been arrested. Prosecutors are probing Paglia on Read more
Norwegian police have raided the offices of the Diocese of Oslo after it was accused of defrauding the state of millions of dollars. The diocese has been accused of vastly exaggerating its membership to increase the support it receives from the state. This came to an additional 50 million Norwegian Krone, some NZD$8.58 million, over Read more