Vatican's 'Trial of the Century' Ends with Cardinal's 5½-Year Prison Sentence
In what has been called the Vatican's "trial of the century," Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for embezzlement, becoming the first cardinal to be convicted and sentenced by a Vatican court. The trial examined financial misconduct that cost the Holy See millions of dollars, including a failed luxury property investment in London. The case also involved a female security consultant accused of spending church funds on fashion brands. The trial has been a test for Pope Francis' efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the Vatican's finances.
