A Vatican court has sentenced 75-year-old Angelo Becciu, a former influential Italian cardinal and adviser to Pope Francis, to five years and six months in jail for financial crimes.
Becciu, once considered a potential papal contender, is the highest-ranking clergyman in the Catholic Church to face a Vatican criminal court.
The verdict was delivered on Saturday, with Becciu convicted of embezzlement, abuse of office, and witness tampering in connection to a controversial London property deal. The trial involved a total of ten defendants, including financiers, lawyers, and ex-Vatican employees.
The central focus of the trial was the opaque 350-million-euro ($380-million), purchase of a luxury property in London, part of an investment initiative that began in 2014 and resulted in significant financial losses for the Vatican.
Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, stated that they respect the sentence but intend to appeal. In addition to the prison term, Becciu was fined 8,000 euros.
This landmark trial sheds light on the Holy See’s complex financial dealings, which Pope Francis has sought to reform since assuming leadership of the Catholic Church in 2013. The case also marks a significant test of the Pope’s efforts to address financial misconduct within the Vatican.
The trial, which commenced in July 2021, comes on the heels of Pope Francis granting Vatican civilian courts the authority to try cardinals and bishops, a departure from the previous practice of having them judged by a court presided over by cardinals.
Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi had sought a seven-year and three-month jail term for Becciu and varying sentences for the other defendants.
Throughout the trial, Becciu vehemently maintained his innocence, denouncing the accusations as unfounded. The Holy See, viewing itself as an “offended party,” urged the court to “punish all crimes” through Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Four Vatican entities acted as civil parties, seeking compensation from the defendants, including 177 million euros for moral and reputational damage.
The trial, marked by more than 80 hearings within the dedicated courtroom at the Vatican Museums, has faced procedural challenges, including complaints from defense lawyers about limited access to key evidence.
Becciu, who served as the number two in the Secretariat of State from 2011 to 2018, resigned abruptly in September 2020 upon learning of an investigation against him. The charges also extended to his involvement in the purchase and sale of the London property, which allegedly diverted resources intended for charitable causes.
The trial implicated other key figures, including brokers Gianluigi Torzi and Raffaele Mincione, former Vatican investment manager Enrico Crasso, and ex-Vatican employee Fabrizio Tirabassi.
Becciu was also accused of making payments to Cecilia Marogna, a Sardinian woman on trial, under the pretext of negotiating the release of a kidnapped Colombian nun in Mali.
