The Vatican is charging 10 people, including the cardinal, in a financial lawsuit

Vatican Criminal Court President Giuseppe Pignaton set a trial date of July 27, but defendants’ attorneys protested, saying they could not yet prepare so quickly when a formal verdict was reached. Indictments and other documents.

This action is 487 pages long. It was established after a two-year extensive investigation into the vast assets management of the Secretariat of State, the central administration of the Vatican, most of which was funded by St. Denarius of Stone. The scandal cost millions of dollars. He called on Pope Francis to remove the authority that manages the money from the secretariat.

Five former Vatican officials, including Cardinal Angelo Becky, and two officials from the Secretariat of State have been charged, along with Italian businessmen who managed the London investment. Vatican prosecutors allege he stole millions of dollars in fees and other investment losses from the Holy See. The accused pleaded not guilty.

London investment in the heart of the business

One of the main defendants in the case, Italian broker Gianluigi Torzi, is accused of extorting more than $ 20 million from the Vatican to acquire ownership of the London building at the end of 2018. Prosecutors also on Saturday accused Vatican and Vatican hierarchies of being deceived by Torje and an Italian lawyer, who agreed to a stock purchase deal. The Secretary of State is expected to declare himself the injured party in the case.

Torjee completely denied the allegations against him, saying it was the result of a misunderstanding. He is currently in London, awaiting extradition request from Italian authorities as he attempts to commit other financial crimes. His representatives made no comment Saturday, saying they had not read the indictment.

Cardinal Angelo Beckie, the candidate for the Pontifical seat, was also charged in the controversy. He helped manage the initial investment in London when he was Chief of Staff at the Foreign Secretary. He was fired by Pope Francis after he donated nearly 000 150,000 from the Holy See funds to the diocesan charity led by Becky’s brother. In a statement released Saturday by his lawyers, Becky insisted Absolute lie Allegations against him. He called the Italian press an “unprecedented media pill” against him.

I am a victim of conspiracy. I have been waiting a long time to find out the charges against me so that I can quickly dismiss them and prove my complete innocence to everyone.

Tomaso de Ruzza and Rene Bruelhart, two former senior executives of the Financial Information Authority (AIFFinancial Reporting Authority), The financial police of the Holy See, accused of abuse of power. According to Vatican News, prosecutors blamed them For neglecting the irregularities of the London operation, In which they were immediately informed.

Both defended their work. At first the lawyer insisted that it was his client With the special interest of the Holy See, he was always treated with the utmost respect for the law and his professional duties. The second was his charge Vatican is a procedural error that manipulates the organs of the judiciary As soon as his defense was expressed.