Vatican court jails Italian cardinal for five-and-a-half years for embezzlement
Cardinal Angelo Becciu attends a consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on Aug. 27, 2022. File Picture: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File
A Vatican court on Saturday convicted Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu of several counts of embezzlement and sentenced him to five years and six months in jail.
Becciu, 75, was the highest ranking Church official ever to stand trial before a Vatican criminal court.
Becciu's lawyer, Fabio Viglione, told reporters in the court room that he would lodge an appeal, saying his client was innocent.
Ten defendants were accused of various counts of crimes including fraud, abuse of office, and money laundering. They had all denied wrongdoing.
It took Court President Giuseppe Pignatone 25 minutes to read all the verdicts and sentences.
Becciu, like the other nine defendants, was convicted on some counts and found not guilty of others.
The trial lasted two and a half years and sat for 86 sessions.
