Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu was sentenced in the Vatican to five years and six months in prison and a fine of 8,000 euros for embezzlement and other crimes. A historic event in church history.
The Vatican City Criminal Court announced the verdict on Saturday afternoon. Becciu is the first cardinal in church history to be convicted of a crime by the Vatican judiciary. An appeal against the verdict is possible.
In addition to Becciu, other defendants were sentenced to prison terms and fines, and some defendants were acquitted. Among the convicted is a friend of the cardinal, to whom Becciu, according to the indictment, gave several hundreds of thousands of euros from the Vatican treasury.
The process took two and a half years
Several financial advisors involved in the Vatican’s loss-making investments were also convicted. The verdicts bring an end to a criminal trial that lasted two and a half years.
Becciu and his lawyers deny the allegations. The prosecutor had made preliminary arguments and presented no real evidence, they repeated on Tuesday. The trial showed that the cardinal never took action that was not prepared for him by his office. He has also been exposed to media aggression over the past two years.
Title of cardinal remains
The Sardinian already lost his essential rights as cardinal in 2020, even though he may continue to hold the title. In addition, Pope Francis dismissed him from his position as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Some people grumbled that the decision amounted to prejudice.
Source: Krone
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