Senior cardinal convicted in Vatican corruption trial

VATICAN CITY: 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, who lives in the Vatican, was expected to remain free for the time being. In all, 10 defendants were accused of crimes including fraud, abuse of office and money laundering. All denied wrongdoing. Becciu, like most of the other defendants, was convicted on some counts and acquitted of others. The trial, which exposed infighting and intrigue in the highest echelons of the Vatican, lasted for 86 sessions over two-and-a-half years.

It revolved mostly around the messy purchase of a building in London by the Secretariat of State, the Vatican's key administrative department. Becciu, then an archbishop, held the number two position there in 2013 when it began investing in a fund managed by Italian financier Raffaele Mincione, securing about 45% of the building. Mincione was found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering and given the same sentence as Becciu.

In 2018, with Becciu in another Vatican job, the Secretariat felt it was being deceived by Mincione and turned to financier Gianluigi Torzi for help in squeezing Mincione out and buying the rest of the building. Torzi also fleeced the Vatican, according to prosecutors. He was found guilty of fraud and extortion and sentenced to six years.

The Vatican sold the London building last year, taking an estimated loss of about $150 million.