The Vatican’s criminal tribunal on Saturday indicted 10 people, including a cardinal, on charges including embezzlement, abuse of office, extortion and fraud in connection with the Secretariat of State’s 350 million-euro investment in a London real estate venture.
The tribunal President, Judge Giuseppe Pignatone, set July 27 as the trial date, according to a Vatican statement.
Five former Vatican officials, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu and two officials from the Secretariat of State, were indicted, as well as Italian businessmen who handled the London investment. Also indicted on alleged embezzlement charges was an Italian intelligence expert.
Vatican prosecutors accuse the main suspects of bilking millions of euros from the Holy See in fees and other losses related to other financial dealings. The suspects have denied wrongdoing.
One of the main suspects in the case, Gianlugi Torzi, is accused of having extorted the Vatican out of €15 million to turn over ownership of the London building in late 2018. Torzi had been retained by the Vatican to help it acquire full ownership of the building from another indicted money manager who had handled the initial investment.
Vatican prosecutors allege Torzi inserted a last-minute clause into the contract giving him full voting rights in the deal.
The Vatican hierarchy, however, signed off on the contract, with both Pope Francis' No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and his deputy approving it. Neither was indicted. Torzi said the accusations were the fruit of a misunderstanding.
