In a landmark ruling, a Vatican court has convicted Cardinal Angelo Becciu of embezzlement and sentenced him to five-and-a-half years in prison. This marks the first time in history that a cardinal has been sentenced to prison by a Vatican court.
Becciu, a former advisor to Pope Francis, was found guilty of misappropriating funds from the Vatican's Secretariat of State to purchase a building in London. He was also accused of using Vatican money to fund his brothers' businesses and to pay for a project to secure the release of a kidnapped nun.
The trial, which began in July 2021, played out in 85 hearings and shed light on the Holy See's murky finances. It also highlighted Pope Francis' efforts to reform Vatican justice, which previously gave cardinals and bishops the power to judge their own colleagues.
The trial revolved around a messy purchase of a building in London by the Secretariat of State, the Vatican's key administrative and diplomatic department. Becciu held the number two position there when it began investing in a fund managed by Italian financier Raffaele Mincione, securing about 45 percent of the building at 60 Sloane Avenue. In 2018, by which time Becciu had moved to another Vatican job, the Secretariat of State felt it was being deceived by Mincione and turned to another financier, Gianluigi Torzi, for help in squeezing Mincione out and buying the rest of the building.
The Vatican's civilian courts now have the authority to try cardinals and bishops, and this case is seen as a test of Francis' reforms.
The 75-year-old Italian prelate denied wrongdoing and said he would appeal the verdict. He is expected to remain free for the time being.
In addition to Becciu, nine other defendants were also convicted of crimes including fraud, abuse of office and money laundering. All had denied wrongdoing.
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