Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the first cardinal to appear before the Vatican court, proclaimed himself innocent in the trial for financial fraud on Thursday and claimed that he is the victim of “a media massacre”.
“I never wanted a euro, or a cent of those I have handled, to be diverted, misused or destined for purposes that were not exclusively institutional,” the religious declared to the judges.
The cardinal, who held the position of Substitute for the Secretary of State between 2011 and 2018, is tried together with a group of nine people, including businessmen and officials of the Roman Curia, for corruption and embezzlement.
Dismissed by Pope Francis from office as prefect for the Cause of Saints, also stripped of the title of cardinal in September 2020, Becciu maintains that he has been the victim of an “unprecedented media massacre”, of a “violent campaign” aimed at “destroying” him with “absurd, incredible, monstrous accusations,” he said.
“I have been described as a corrupt man, greedy for money and disloyal to the pope,” he regretted speaking for the first time since the trial began in July.
The defendants face several years in prison for fraud, embezzlement, extortion, money laundering and abuse of power in a scandal that includes complicity with espionage, tax havens and that has generated a hole of millions of euros in the Vatican accounts.
The dark purchase of a luxurious building in London and the network of companies and funds that left a hole in the Holy See's finances are at the heart of the process.
However, in recent weeks, the trial had stalled due to procedural issues, which cast doubt on the effectiveness of the institutions of the Holy See.
Among the ten defendants, half were in the service of the Roman Curia and participated in the controversial purchase of the building in London at a cost of about 400 million dollars.
For the purchase of the building, resources were even used for the personal charity works of the pontiff, as recognized by the Holy See.
The acquisition was also made at a price higher than its real value through highly speculative financial packages, through two Italian businessmen living in London.
At the end of January, the Vatican concluded the sale of the controversial London building, a scandal that affected the image of the Church.
During the trial, funding of more than $138,000 for the cooperative run by a brother of Becciu will also be examined.
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