A distinguished Italian cardinal was part of ten people that were recently sent to trial in the Vatican and charged with financial crimes which include theft, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of office.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who is a former senior official in the administration of Vatican and two top officials at the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Unit, will face trial on July 27 in respect of multimillion-euro scandal which involves the Vatican’s procurement of a building in one of London’s viable districts.
The trial will unavoidably bring a ripple of media interest to the small citystate encompassed by Rome, and seems to emphasize the determination of Pope Francis to cure the rot in the finances of Vatican, even if it involves dirty public hearings.
73-year-old Becciu, who was fired by the Pope from his senior clerical post in 2020 for nepotism allegation, and who has constantly maintained his uprightness during an investigation that lasted two years becomes the most senior official in Vatican to be charged with financial crimes.
According to a 487-page request for indictment seen by Reuters, the Pope solely gave the needed approval recently for Becciu to be indicted.
