After the death of Pope Francisthe looks are already put in the conclave To define Who will your successor. However, before its beginning, the process already presents a controversy: Cardinal Angelo Becciu who had been stripped of the position of Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints and of the “Rights Linked to Cardinal” now assures that He will participate in the vote to designate the next Pope.
Although he retained the title of Cardinal, after the hearing that took place in September 2020, he ceased in any position in the Roman curia and He lost the right to participate in the conclave.
Becciu He was convicted in December 2023 to 5 years and 6 months in prison by a criminal court of the Vatican for crimes linked to financial irregularitiesamong them abuse of power and embezzlement.
Despite the sentence against him, the cardinal was invited to the pre-Cóclave general congregations with the rest of his peers and He declared his intention to participate in the election process of the next Pope.
“Referring to the last town hall, the Pope Intact my prerogatives cardinals recognizedsince there was no explicit will to exclude me from the conclave nor request for my explicit resignation in writing”, Argued Cardinal Becciu in the Uniona Sarda. In addition, he emphasized his innocence and claimed to have been”pardoned“By Francis.
His participation will be defined by the General Congregation of the Cardinals, whose first meeting was held this morning.
Among the favorites to happen to Francisco, despite personal reluctance, there is still the Secretary of State for Bergoglio, Pietro Parolincapable of mediating and reassuring both the “progressive” in continuity with Francisco, and the “conservatives.”
The Criminal Criminal Card
He Cardinal was convicted of the justice of the Vatican After being involved in an investigation into the management of funds from the Secretary of State, which revolved around the sale of a luxury building in London for more than 200 million dollars. In addition, during the investigation other irregular transfers came to light, such as a donation of 125,000 euros to an association linked to Caritas in Ozieri, Sardinña, whose president was one of the Cardinal’s brothers.
In December 2023, the Court considered proven the crime of Malversation for the illicit use of the sum of 200,500,000 dollars“which amounts to approximately a third of assets at the time of the Secretary of Statebecause in violation of the provisions on the administration of ecclesiastical goods. “
This sum had been paid Between 2013 and 2014at the request of the then Monsignor Substitute Giovanni Angelo Becciu, for the subscription of actions of Athena Capital Commoditiesa coverage fund with highly speculative characteristics and that was a High risk for the investor in capital without the possibility of controlling management. Therefore, the Court declared guilty of the crime of embezzlement to Cardinal Becciu and Raffaele Mencione, who had been in direct contact with the State Secretariat To obtain the payment of money “even without the conditions, as well as, in collusion with them, Fabrizio Tirabassi, employee of the Administration Office, already Enrico Craso “.
Source: Ambito
