An investigation by Seprelad seeks to shed light on this complex world
The investigation initiated by the Secretariat for the Prevention of Money Laundering regarding groups and companies intended to support different types of churches, denominational groups and religious congregations is putting the spotlight on a chapter that is not usually given much attention: huge amounts of money poured into the so-called “non-governmental organizations”.
There are millions of dollars of budgetary resources granted to initiatives whose benefit is more than relative and which, in some cases, serve as a gateway to flows of money of generally unknown origin.
We put aside the NGOs that, due to their long history of serving people with different degrees of physical or mental disabilities, offer invaluable support where the State does not arrive or does not do so with the necessary dedication. Precisely to leave these well-deserving organizations -clearly differentiated- safe, it is necessary that the competent government authorities close the focus on groups with dubious backgrounds that receive State funds.
These resources can fail for various reasons. One of them, diluted in entities that do not contribute anything positive. It is enough to read the scarce literature available on these societies to notice that, in more than one case, they only serve as a vehicle for adventurers seeking to raise public funds and, in addition, appeal to the contributions of citizens. There are groups that respond to headquarters located in Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia, as well as Argentina and Brazil, where many of the churches of elaborate denominations come from.
They all claim to serve vulnerable sectors, to be referential organizations, agents of change and social transformation, inspired by the word of God, etc. etc. Some temples, prayer centers and meeting spaces show a very high cost building infrastructure and technical equipment.
The investigation opened by Seprelad seems to answer questions that attentive citizens usually ask themselves in the face of such displays of economic power: Where does all the money necessary to build, maintain and expand these activities dedicated to attracting parishioners and receiving contributions whose accounting does not seem to be accountable to the treasury? Hopefully this initiative can clear the field and expose any danger of fraud not only to the State but to the simple faith of citizens.
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The entrance Churches, businesses or laundry? was first published in The Independent.
