I believe that also. When Martin wrote "Windswept House", he frankly admitted that his life was in danger because of it. He also knew two priest that he told Art Bell had been murdered.
The other reason BXVI would have resigned would have been to protect - or at least protect the memory of - JPII. The one who was worst about ignoring or possibly even tolerating the cover up of sexual abuse and homosexuality was JPII. The Maciel case was the worst example of this, although all of the other high-level cover-ups occurred while JPII was Pope.
It’s never been clear to me why JPII took no action. As soon as BXVI became Pope, Maciel was a goner and there were also a couple of bishops in certain places (Ireland was one, I believe) whose “resignations were accepted.” The resignation of Danneels - whose behavior, known to JPII and all the world, was utterly scandalous and illegal - was accepted immediately and BXVI replaced him with somebody decent, who was then forced out under Francis. And of course, under Francis, Danneels - now over 80 - has become a very important and even crucial part of the Vatican gang.
So I would say that the threat may have been to JPII, not necessarily for any personal misbehavior, but because he had obviously knowingly tolerated serious and even criminal offenses among the higher clergy. There was probably a smoking gun somewhere in those documents.
And I do think there was probably some strange financial connection in there, too.
According to an interview back in the 1990s with former Vatican insider, author, professor, and exorcist Father Malachi Martin - JPII had little interest in the sex abuse scandal and feigned powerlessness to anyone who asked him about it.
Martin said the one "dream" of JPII was a worldwide uniting of all faiths into some sort of one world religion alliance; a sort of quasi-ecumenical utopia. Martin had left the Jesuit order (and been released of of his vow of poverty) decades earlier with the blessing of Pope Paul VI, but remained an adviser on an informal basis and also reported to a highly placed Vatican official for his authority. Martin repeated that in many personal conversations he had with JPII, the pope kept telling him that "uniting" all faiths was his one dream and ultimate goal. Martin wished he had taken back the power of the papacy to reign in those he considered rouge liberals, but JPII would not act.
I believe that also. When Martin wrote "Windswept House", he frankly admitted that his life was in danger because of it. He also knew two priest that he told Art Bell had been murdered.