Cardinal Becciu was initially convicted by the Vatican court for embezzlement in a case involving the purchase and sale of a property in London, as well as money given to Cecilia Marogna, amounting to approximately €600,000.
Now, the cardinal has crossed the Vatican judicial line. Becciu has filed a complaint with the Roman Prosecutor's Office. He claims there was a plot to frame him.
He claims that Francesca Chaouqui, an Italian public relations expert who was previously convicted in the second Vatileaks case, was behind the charge.
The cardinal accuses her of fraud, extortion, and conspiracy to convict him. He also accuses her of manipulating one of the witnesses and falsifying evidence to steer the trial.
But he was not alone in his accusation. Others implicated in the Vatican's so-called "maxi-trial" also agree, like Enrico Crasso, former financial manager of the Secretariat of State, and the financier Raffaelle Mincione.
Furthermore, the cardinal filed an appeal against the Vatican's conviction. The appeal trial will open on September 22, although controversy has raged in recent months.
During the conclave, Becciu participated in the general congregations, although he was not on the list of electors. He ultimately stepped back and sent a letter refusing to enter the Sistine Chapel.
At the end of May, Becciu had a private audience with Pope Leo XIV. No details of the meeting have been revealed, other than the cardinal's continued insistence on his innocence.
