Sacked Vatican Cardinal Angelo Becciu denies wrongdoing amid financial scandal

A day after Pope Francis fired one of Vatican’s most powerful officials over a financial scandal, Cardinal Angelo Becciu denied any wrongdoing in a news conference on Friday, September 25.

As per reports, Pope h sacked Cardinal Becciu after mounting evidence showed him directing hundreds of thousands of euros of Vatican as well as Italian church funds to a charity controlled by his bror. Even though Pope fired him scrapping his rights and privileges as a cardinal, Becciu said that his downfall was “surreal” but h a clean conscience. 

Re - Pope Francis: Poor Need Priority Access To Vaccine

During his media appearance, Becciu said that Pope h asked him to resign as prefect of Vatican’s saint-making office in a “troubled” meeting on Thursday, September 24 citing lack of confidence. Becciu, who h gone to Pope’s residence for a pre-scheduled meeting to discuss possible sainthood candidates, was told by Holy Far that documents from Italian financial police have alleged he h misappropriated 100,000 euros of Holy See funds. 

Re - Pope Tells Leers Pandemic Opportunity For Change

Becciu defends transactions 

Even though cardinal’s name is reported to have emerged in a financial scandal around investment of Holy See in a real estate venture based in London, Becciu said that main issue that triggered his removal was allegation of embezzlement that was first reported by a news magazine L’Espresso.

former senior official at Vatican’s secretariat of state confessed about sending office funds in 2017 to his diocese in Ozieri, Sardinia, for its charitable work with legal representative of diocese’s charitable arm being his bror Tonino Becciu. 

“I don’t think I’ve committed any crime,” Becciu said during news conference in a religious institute just off St. Peter’s Square.

former cardinal also said that he h recommended donation of 300,000 euros by Italian bishops’ conference to same charitable funds several years ago to help its set up. refore, he insisted that it was legitimate because it was all conference’s call to do same. According to Becciu, all such donations were hering to directives included in secretariat of state’s off--books fund be destined toward charity.

Re - Pope To UN: Use COVID Crisis To Come Out Better, Not Worse

Re - Polish President Meets Pope Francis At Vatican

Inputs/Image: AP