The appeals trial over the Vatican’s controversial London property deal was interrupted again this week as defence lawyers pressed for the removal of the chief prosecutor, arguing that leaked WhatsApp messages suggested improper ties with a star witness.
The case, which stems from the Holy See’s €350 million purchase of a former Harrods warehouse on Sloane Avenue, returned to the Vatican Tribunal Hall on Monday.
Nine defendants, including Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, were convicted in 2023 of financial crimes ranging from fraud to embezzlement after the Vatican suffered losses of about €139 million.
