The Vatican court on Saturday ordered the trial of ten people, including an Italian cardinal, for suspected financial crimes. These include embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of position.
Among the accused is Cardinal Angelo Piccio, who was ordered to resign as head of the State Secretariat of the Holy See last year by order of Pope Francis. In addition, the former heads of the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Agency and two Italian real estate agents have been accused of involvement in the Vatican’s purchase of a building in an expensive area of London.
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Last year’s investigation into the building’s purchase cost a number of people their jobs within the Vatican. Pique was accused of embezzlement and nepotism. The chiefs of police and the financial authority of the Vatican, among others, also resigned.
Pope Francis has denied the Secretariat of the Holy See access to its own money flows in response to the scandal and put it under surveillance. The State Secretariat is the main governing body of the Roman Curia.
