An Italian police corruption probe into public-works contracts has uncovered a gay prostitution ring that involves two key players with ties to the Vatican. The Vatican connection surfaced as a result of wiretaps that were being used by the Carabinieri in the course of the corruption investigation.

Transcripts of the phone conversations have been published by the Italian newspaper/website La Repubblica. The recordings implicate Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, a member of the Cappella Giulia Choir in St Peter's Basilica. The other person has been identified as Angelo Balducci, a ceremonial usher - member of an elite group known as "Gentlemen of His Holiness".

Balducci was among four arrested last month in connection with the public works corruption probe. His links to the prostitution ring only emerged after his arrest.

On police transcripts, the subject of the conversation between Balducci and Ehiem was gay sex. Balducci showed an interest in the physical attributes of the men he was interested in having 'an appointment' with. The chat included details about height, weight, skin color and sexual availability.

Ehiem was essentially operating as a pimp. He had access to illegal immigrants and others willing to work as male escorts. He also found men on the "Pianeta Escort' (Planet Escort) website. Balducci paid up to 2,000 euros for 'an appointment'.

According to a report in the UK Guardian, among the men who Ehiem procured for Balducci were "two black Cuban lads", a former male model from Naples and a rugby player from Rome. At one point on the tapes Ehiem describes an available man as "two metres tall … 97 kilos … aged 33, completely active."

In a phone conversation dated August 21, 2008 the men are recorded arranging 'an appointment':

Ehiem: Look, if you want I can have them come one after the other ... it is possible ... if you have some free time ... I can arrange for the two of them.

Balducci: Which are the better ones?

Ehiem: The better ones are the ones I just told you about ... one from Bologna and the other one from Rome.

Balducci: All right, then let's do it for 3:30.

Ehiem: OK.

Aside from his pimping services, Ehiem had himself been sexually involved with Balducci for five or six months. In an interview with Panorama Ehiem said he agreed to the arrangement because he had been having financial problems.

There are also reports that Ehiem procured seminarians. A Guardian article reports:

"In January this year, the Carabinieri recorded an exchange in which Balducci and Ehiem discuss a seminarian, or student for the priesthood. Balducci is said to have asked: "Listen, have you spoken with the seminarian by any chance?" Ehiem says he is "probably at mass or something". On 11 January, Ehiem calls again to recommend "a colleague, a friend" of the seminarian because the latter is unavailable. He says the colleague is "better, taller, a bit taller than you". Later, Ehiem asks: "Can I send [him] around straight away?

"He asks where Balducci is. The adviser says: "Up at the seminary … where the cardinal lives." Ehiem replies: "He could get there within half an hour … the time it takes to catch a taxi and get there."

Angelo Balducci was no small time player. In addition to being a board member of Italy's public works department, he was a construction consultant to the Vatican. He was one of those selected in 2005 to carry the coffin at the funeral of Pope John Paul.

An Irish Times report provides more detail on Balducci's background:

"Mr Balducci, who has been a Papal Gentleman since 1995, has long worked closely with the Holy See on behalf of the Italian state, overseeing the logistical and infrastructural requirements of events such as the Holy Year in 2000, the canonisations of Padre Pio and Opus Dei founder José Maria Escriva in 2002, and the beatification of Mother Teresa in 2003."

With respect to the corruption charges against Balducci, the Irish Times reports that:

"... Mr Balducci systematically abused his position, exacting favours that ranged from a job for his son to the construction of a swimming pool by builders who had been awarded public contracts."

Investigators believe that private sector contracts for last year’s G8 Summit were inflated from an initial €290 million to €600 million."

Angelo Balducci surprise, surprise... will not be listed in the next edition of the Vatican directory. Thomas Ehiem was relieved of his duties on Wednesday, after Vatican officials became aware of the details of the Carabinieri investigation.

It's a fair bet that these revelations only scratch the surface of what has actually been going on. What with the recent report detailing clerical abuse of children in Ireland, new revelations of child abuse in Germany - including allegations involving a choir in the southern German city of Regensburg that was once headed by Pope Benedict XVI's brother Georg, there is no end of fall-out to keep the Vatican hopping.

As yet there has been no public comment from the Vatican on Balducci and Ehiem.

Link to reports on the story from Washington Post - Huffington Post - CNN