Former Pope Adviser Convicted and Sentenced to Prison for Financial Crimes in Vatican

Former Pope adviser, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, has been sentenced to five and a half years in jail by a Vatican court for financial crimes related to a London property deal that resulted in significant losses for the Roman Catholic Church. Becciu was accused of embezzlement and funneling funds to his home diocese, with the trial seen as part of Pope Francis' efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy. Critics argue that Becciu has become a scapegoat in the Vatican's attempt to address longstanding accounting scandals. Becciu's lawyer plans to appeal the verdict.