The Vatican has once again found itself in the middle of a scandal. A new accusation claims Vatican financial leaders may have manipulated bank transfers to enable money laundering. The accusation comes from the former top financial officer of the Vatican, who was forced out of his job back in 2017 Politico had more details to share on the operation: The Vatican is facing allegations it used a “skeleton key for money laundering” by illegally manipulating bank transfers. The city state’s former top financial cop ― who was forced out in 2017 ― has claimed that its payroll agency was able to alter the names and account numbers on transactions after they were made, masking the identity of recipients and senders. The implication would be enormous because it would have made it possible for Vatican officials to wire funds to private clients without revealing who they were, possibly enabling unlimited money laundering and violating the most basic anti-fraud rules. The claims come at an awkward moment for new Pope Leo XIV as he seeks to boost the Catholic Church’s reputation after decades of rolling financial scandals and a looming budget shortfall. The Vatican denies all the allegations and people familiar with SWIFT, the organization that facilitates international bank transfers, say what the Vatican is being accused of is technically impossible. Yet, the allegations are being taken seriously because of the credibility of the people making them and because of the Vatican’s history of misconduct. The Vatican is facing allegations it used a “skeleton key for money laundering” by illegally manipulating bank transfers.https://t.co/qTsbAx1UQs — POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) August 11, 2025 In recent years, the Vatican has faced a plethora of scandals related to financial crimes. One of the most highlighted financial scandals was the conviction of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu. ABC News reported more on the Church’s financial scandal: The Vatican city court on Saturday sentenced Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, once touted as a possible papal contender, to 5 1/2 years in prison for mismanaging a Vatican property portfolio which included a luxury flat in London. Becciu, the former Substitute for General Affairs in the Vatican Secretariat of State, is the highest ranking Vatican official ever to face financial charges. He was convicted on two counts of embezzlement and one of aggravated fraud, according to the Italian news agency ANSA. He was acquitted of other counts of embezzlement, abuse of office and witness tampering. The court also fined Becciu 8,000 euros and banned him from public office for life. Becciu’s defense lawyer, Fabio Viglione, said he and his client “respect the sentence” but will appeal. Eight other defendants were convicted Saturday and one, Msgr. Mauro Carlino, the former personal secretary to Becciu, was acquitted. Prison sentences for the other defendants ranged from three years and 9 months to seven years and six months. The defendants were ordered by the court to pay damages of over 200 million euros in total.