Giovanni Angelo Becciu is the first cardinal in the history of the Holy Roman Church to be criminally convicted in the Vatican by a tribunal composed of lay people. In fact, the former substitute for General Affairs and former prefect for the Causes of Saints -- deprived three years ago by the Pope of this office and the prerogatives of the cardinalate -- has been sentenced by the Vatican tribunal to five years and six months' imprisonment, in addition to perpetual interdiction from public office and an 8,000 euro fine, at the end of the trial on the management of funds of the Secretariat of State and the sale and purchase of the London place. For the Sardinian cardinal, the prosecution had asked for seven years and three months in prison. Becciu was found guilty of two peculations (for the initial investment in the Sloane Avenue Palace in London and for the 125,000 euros sent to his brother Antonino's Spes cooperative in Ozieri) and one aggravated fraud, in conjunction with alleged intelligence expert Cecilia Marogna, because for the court the 575,000 euros from the Secretariat of State sent to her Slovenian company Logsic served for anything but the release of the kidnapped Colombian nun in Mali, as was claimed. Becciu, on the other hand, was acquitted of other peculates, abuse of office and subornation of witness Monsignor Alberto Perlasca. (Photo by Marek Jurík)
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