(ANS – Rome) – With regard to the article that appeared on the dagospia.com website on 3 February 2014, concerning the current controversy affecting the Gerini Foundation and its connection with the General Administration of the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Salesian Congregation would like to clarify the matter as follows:

It is reported in the article that the Italian judiciary had established that, in the transaction giving rise to the civil enforcement procedures which the news item is about, “there had been no fraud”, thus providing the reader with information that does not correspond to the truth.

In fact the preliminary investigations carried out by the Prosecutor’s office regarding the aforesaid transaction, on 8 June 2007, were dropped in November 2012 and subsequently reopened, as per normal procedure of the Public Prosecutor, in January 2013.

To date Mr Carlo Moisé Silvera and other presumed adversaries continue to be subject to preliminary investigations in procedure no. 3497/2013 r.g.n.r. Concerning fraud, extortion, criminal association committed to the detriment of the above Bodies.

This communiqué is intended as a reminder of the principles of fidelity and accuracy that should govern dissemination of news relating to criminal proceedings, especially for such delicate matters as this.

Published 03/02/2014