The first outside legal analyses of Vatican’s ‘trial of the century’ are in, and they’re critical
Vatican City AP Several prominent lawyers have published stinging academic critiques and legal opinions about the Vatican’s recently concluded “trial of the century,” highlighting violations of basic defense rights and rule of law norms that they warn could have consequences for the Holy See going forward. The opinions cite Pope Francis’ role in the trial, since he […]
Ousted Vatican auditor general loses lawsuit seeking damages
Vatican City Reuters A Vatican court has rejected a demand for about €9 million in damages lodged by the Holy See’s first auditor general and his deputy, who were appointed in 2015 and fired two years later. The auditor general, Libero Milone and deputy Ferruccio Panicco, filed the suit in 2022, alleging they were sacked […]
Vatican prosecutor appeals verdict that largely dismantled his fraud case but convicted cardinal
Vatican CityAP The Vatican’s chief prosecutor has appealed a court verdict that largely dismantled his theory of a grand conspiracy to defraud the Holy See of millions of euros but found a cardinal guilty of embezzlement. Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi filed his appeal this week of the three-judge tribunal’s decision in a complicated financial trial that aired the […]
Time behind bars for Cardinal Becciu? Not any time soon, experts say
Vatican CityReuters None of the six people who received jail sentences at the end of the Vatican’s big corruption trial on Saturday will likely be spending time behind bars anytime soon and some perhaps not ever, according to legal and security experts. Several, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the most senior Catholic Church official ever to […]
Senior cardinal convicted in Vatican corruption trial
Vatican CityReuters Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the most senior Catholic Church official ever to stand trial before a Vatican criminal court, was convicted on Saturday of embezzlement and fraud and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail. The Italian prelate’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, told reporters in the courtroom he would appeal, saying his client was innocent. Becciu, […]
Cardinal, nine other defendants, await verdicts at Vatican trial
Vatican CityReuters A two-and-a-half year corruption trial that exposed infighting and intrigue in the highest echelons of the Vatican closes on Saturday with the key defendant, an Italian cardinal, praying that the court will believe his innocent plea. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, 75, a one-time Vatican power broker, is charged with embezzlement, abuse of office and […]
Verdicts in big Vatican corruption trial due on Saturday
Vatican CityReuters Defence lawyers at the Vatican’s big corruption trial, in which one of the 10 defendants is a cardinal, completed their summing up on Tuesday and the court president announced that the verdicts would be announced on Saturday. A Vatican trial of 10 people accused of financial crimes, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, resumes after a chief judge […]
Closing arguments in Vatican trial seek to expose problems in the city state’s legal system
Vatican CityAP Lawyers for a once-powerful cardinal accused Vatican prosecutors of being “prisoner to their completely shattered theory” on Wednesday in the latest round of closing arguments of a trial that has raised fundamental questions about the rule of law in the city state. Despite attempts to demonise Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the two-year trial hasn’t proved […]
Vatican prosecutor seeks seven-year sentence for cardinal
Vatican CityReuters The prosecutor at a Vatican corruption trial linked to a botched London real estate deal asked a court on Wednesday to convict Cardinal Angelo Becciu and sentence the former Holy See power broker to seven years and three months in jail. Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi made the request at the end of his summing […]
Prosecutor cites risky investments as “grave” violations, in closing of Vatican financial case
Vatican CityAP The Vatican prosecutor insisted Tuesday that his indictments of 10 people, including a cardinal, for alleged financial crimes held up under two years of testimony, criticism and defense motions, as he began closing arguments in a trial that exposed the unseemly financial underbelly of the Holy See. Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi opened two weeks […]