Italian financier Gianluigi Torzi released from Vatican prison

By Vatican News

A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on Monday said Gianluigi Torzi, the broker involved in the last phase of negotiations for the purchase and sale of a building in London with funds connected to the Vatican Secretariat of State, has been granted bail and released from prison.

The communiqué said the decision was made by the Vatican Promoter of Justice following interrogations to which Mr. Gianluigi Torzi was subjected during the investigations relating to the sale of the building in 60 Sloane Avenue in London.

"As we read in the order, signed by the Promoter of Justice Gian Piero Milano and the Adjutant Alessandro Diddi,” the statement said, “the magistrates have taken note of what has been deduced in an articulated memorandum delivered by Mr. Torzi” and of numerous documents, made available by him, that have been judged “useful for the reconstruction of the facts under investigation".

Torzi was arrested on the evening of Friday 5 June, and charged with various counts of extortion, embezzlement, aggravated fraud and money-laundering.

He was interrogated in the presence of his lawyers following a Vatican inquiry that also involved some officials of the Secretariat of State.