The Supervisory and Financial Information Authority ( it, Autorità di Vigilanza e Informazione Finanziaria, or ASIF), formerly known as the Financial Intelligence Authority ( it, Autorità di Informazione Finanziaria, or AIF) is an institution connected to the Holy See and a canonical and Vatican civil juridic person established by Pope Benedict XVI on 30 December 2010. The first lay person to serve as president of the AIF was

René Brülhart René Brülhart (born 1972) is a Swiss lawyer from Fribourg, who served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Financial Information Authority (AIF) of Vatican City. He was the first lay person serving in this position. Brühlhart was r ...

Overview and history

The authority, according to the new Statute approved by Pope Francis on 15 November 2013, is the competent authority of the Holy See and the Vatican City State in charge for financial intelligence and supervision, including anti money laundering and combating financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) and prudential supervision of the entities carrying out financial activities on a professional basis, as established by articles 2 and 52 of the Vatican Law no. XVIII of 8 October 2013. On 5 June 2014, Pope Francis appointed Tommaso Di Ruzza, legal counselor of the Holy See and senior officer in charge of the legal and international matters for the authority since the beginning of its functions in 2011, as the authority's interim Vice Director and also completely replaced the members of the authority's Board. As of 5 June 2014, the Board members are: Dr. Bianca Maria Farina, managing director of the Italian insurance company

Poste Vita The Gruppo Assicurativo Poste Vita is an Italian company of the Italian Post Group, made up of Poste Vita and Poste Assicura, that works in the insurance industry. Posta Vita also had a minority interests in Europa Gestioni Immobiliari (45%), w ...

; Dr. Marc Odendall, a financial consultant for the philanthropic sector in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

; Joseph Yuvaraj Pillay, Chairman of the Board of Consultors to the President of the Republic of Singapore; and Dr. Juan Zarate, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. In 2013 the AIF became a full member of

Egmont Group The Egmont Group (formerly The Gutenberghus Group) is a Danish media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark. The business area of Egmont has traditionally been magazine publishing but has over the years evolved to comprise mass me ...

, an international network of Financial Intelligence Units. In 2019, AIF was excluded from Egmont Group, for failure to guarantee data security, however, it was readmitted shortly afterwards after those concerns have been addressed in an agreement of the AIF and Vatican City's

Promoter of Justice The law of Vatican City State consists of many forms, the most important of which is the canon law of the Catholic Church. The organs of state are governed by the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State. The Code of Penal Procedure governs tribunal ...

. The AIF has its seat in ''Palazzo San Carlo'', Vatican City, close to

Domus Sanctae Marthae The Domus Sanctae Marthae (Latin for Saint Martha's House; it, Casa Santa Marta) is a building adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Completed in 1996, during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, it is named after Martha of Bethan ...

. On 5 December 2020, Pope Francis approved an overhaul to the agency which resulted in things such as renaming. The new statutes also redefined the roles of the agency's president and directorate, as well as establishing a new Regulation and Legal Affairs Unit within the organization. This new agency within the ASIF handles all legal issues, including regulation. A Supervision Unit and a Financial Intelligence Unit were created within the organization as well.

Presidents of the Board

*Cardinal

Attilio Nicora Attilio Nicora (16 March 1937 – 22 April 2017) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who held senior positions in the administration of the Roman Curia as president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See from 2002 ...

(2011–2014) *Bishop Giorgio Corbellini (2014 ''ad interim'') *

(2014–2019) *

Carmelo Barbagallo Carmelo is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Carmelo Anthony (born 1984), American basketball player * Carmelo Antrone Lee (born 1977), Puerto Rican basketball player * Carmelo Bene (1937-2002), Italian director, actor, phil ...

(since 2019)

Directors

*Francesco De Pasquale (2011–2013) ** Deputy Alfredo Pallini (2011–2012) *René Brülhart (2013–2014) ** Deputy ''ad interim'' Tommaso Di Ruzza (2014–2015) *Tommaso Di Ruzza (2015–2020) *Giuseppe Schlitzer (since 2020)

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Government of Vatican City Vatican City Financial crime prevention