Posted on 07/16/2022 6:38:29 PM PDT by marshmallow
As the Vatican’s historic trial revolving around a London property deal and allegations of corruption continues, the question of what Pope Francis himself knew has been raised in court by a defendant.
Interrogated on Thursday, July 7, Fabrizio Tirabassi, a former official of the Secretariat of State, said the pope had authorized the Secretariat to ask for a loan from the Institute of Works of Religion, commonly referred to as the Vatican Bank.
The money was meant to pay off the mortgage and take over the management of the Sloane Avenue property in London's affluent Knightsbridge district.
The Italian businessman Tirabassi is one of ten defendants in the unprecedented trial that began in July 2021. And he was not the only one to be heard in the latest hearing.
The broker and his company
Following his interrogation on Thursday, the Vatican prosecutor on Friday questioned Nicola Squillace, the lawyer of another businessman, Gianluigi Torzi.
Both Squillace and Torzi are also defendants in the trial, and both have been charged with embezzlement, fraud, misappropriation, money laundering, and self-money laundering. Torzi has also been charged with extortion.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.