Vatican Looking For Other Possible Suspects In Leak Scandal

A Vatican special commission is investigating whether the Pope's butler arrested in connection with a leak scandal had accomplices.

I can confirm that a number of people have been heard or interrogated and naturally this is something that can continue because we are still in the investigative phase, spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told Reuters on Tuesday.

Vatican police arrested Paolo Gabriele, 46, last Wednesday. Reports are that he had confidential documents in his possession. Gabriele has been formally charged with aggravated theft. He has been Pope Benedict XVI's butler since 2006 and was often seen publicly by his side.

Italian media alleged that at least one cardinal was among the suspects involved in the leaking of confidential documents, which included letters to the pope. However, Lombardi has denied the allegation and said that investigators are still going through the documents found at Gabriele's home.

Personal letters and documents alleging corruption and the favorable awarding of contracts embarrassed the Vatican when they were leaked to Italian media early this year. They also spoke of internal power struggles.

Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, president of the Vatican bank, has lost his job amid the scandal now commonly known as Vatileaks.