Vatican Prosecutor Seeks Maximum Sentence and Asset Seizure in High-Stakes Cardinal Case

The Vatican prosecutor has requested a court to convict 10 individuals, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, of various financial crimes and sentence them to three to 13 years in prison. The prosecutor also seeks the confiscation of approximately $460 million to reimburse the Holy See for bad investments and financial losses over the past decade. The trial, which began with the Vatican's investment in a luxury London property, has expanded to include allegations against Cardinal Becciu, who is accused of donating Vatican money to a charity run by his brother and using Vatican funds to pay ransom fees. The defense and civil parties will present their closing arguments before a verdict is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.