A Vatican appeals tribunal has declared a mistrial in the Holy See's high-profile financial corruption case, dealing a significant blow to Pope Francis's reform efforts. The 16-page ruling found that both Pope Francis and Vatican prosecutors committed procedural errors, effectively nullifying the original indictment and requiring a new trial starting 22 June.
The case, often dubbed the 'trial of the century,' centred on the Vatican's €350m investment in a London property. Prosecutors had alleged that brokers and Vatican officials defrauded the Holy See of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions, and later extorted €15m to relinquish control. In 2023, Cardinal Angelo Becciu and eight others were convicted on charges including embezzlement and fraud.
Defence lawyers hailed the mistrial as historic, noting it marks the first time a Vatican court has overturned an act of the Pope. They had argued that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence, violating defendants' rights to a fair trial, and that four secret decrees signed by Francis were invalid because they were never published. The appeals court agreed, ruling that one decree amounted to an unpublished law, thus nullifying it, and that the failure to turn over evidence invalidated the original indictment.
The tribunal, headed by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, ordered prosecutors to deposit all documentation in original form by 30 April. Defence teams have until 15 June to prepare motions before the new trial begins. Attorneys for former Vatican official Fabrizio Tirabassi expressed confidence in a swift conclusion with largely acquittal verdicts.
