VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is denouncing its ousted auditor general for revealing that he resigned under threat of arrest for what he says were trumped-up charges.

In a statement Sunday, the Vatican said Libero Milone had been asked to resign in June because his office had "illegally hired an outside company to conduct investigations into the private lives of Holy See personnel."

Milone told reporters Saturday that he was told on June 19 that Pope Francis had lost confidence in him. He said he was subsequently subject to an "aggressive" interrogation by Vatican police, who seized material from his office and told him to resign or face arrest.

The Vatican said Milone had exceeded his mandate, freely tendered his resignation and was treated with full respect by investigators.