Italian cardinal Becciu found guilty of financial crimes and sentenced to prison

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who once held one of the highest offices at the Vatican, has been found guilty of embezzlement, abuse of office and inflencing witnesses, and sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

The charges relate to the investment of €200 million in a fund to buy a property in Sloane Avenue, South Kensington; a €125,000 donation of Vatican money to a charity run by his brother in Sardinia; and giving Vatican funds to a woman who was convicted of using the money for herself.

He was on trial with nine other defendants and all were convicted of some charges, following a trial that lasted two and half years.

His lawyers have pledged to appeal. The Catholic Herald outlines what might happen next and suggests the appeals process could take longer than the trial. Cardinal Becciu is 75.