VATICAN CITY, Dec 17: A former adviser to the Pope, once considered for the top position in the Catholic Church, has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison by a Vatican criminal court. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the highest-ranking Catholic Church official to face trial, was convicted of fraud and embezzlement. The trial involved 10 defendants accused of financial crimes, including fraud, abuse of office, and money laundering, with court president Giuseppe Pignatone taking 25 minutes to deliver verdicts and sentences.

Becciu, residing in the Vatican, plans to appeal, maintaining his innocence. The trial, spanning 86 sessions over two-and-a-half years, exposed internal conflicts within the Vatican. The case primarily focused on the purchase of a London building by the Secretariat of State, revealing Becciu's involvement as the second-ranking official in 2013.

Italian financier Raffaele Mincione, managing the fund where the Vatican invested, was also convicted of embezzlement. The court criticized Becciu for his "highly speculative" investment of over $200 million with Mincione, causing significant losses. In 2018, the secretariat of state, feeling deceived, sought the help of Gianluigi Torzi to buy the remaining shares from Mincione. Torzi was convicted of fraud and extortion, receiving a six-year sentence.

The Vatican incurred substantial losses when it sold the building in 2022. Becciu faced additional charges, including embezzlement for directing funds to entities controlled by his brothers and hiring Cecilia Marogna for a secret project to free a kidnapped nun. Marogna and Becciu were found guilty of aggravated fraud, with Marogna ordered to return the money spent on luxury items.

Banker Enrico Crasso, managing funds for the Secretariat of State, received a seven-year sentence for money laundering, while Fabrizio Tirabassi, a Secretariat employee, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years. The court mandated Becciu, Mincione, Tirabassi, and Crasso to repay over 100 million euros to the Vatican.