Cardinal Convicted of Embezzlement Withdraws from Election of New Pope

Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was once among the most influential leaders within the Vatican, has said he will not participate in the secret meeting to elect a new Pope, after being convicted of financial crimes.

In 2020, Pope Francis ordered Cardinal Becciu to resign from all cardinalate status and privileges following his involvement in a financial scandal within the Vatican.

After the Pope’s death last week, Cardinal Becciu appealed to be reinstated to participate in the important meeting.

However, on April 29th, he issued an official statement announcing his withdrawal.

“I have decided to obey, as I have always done, the will of Pope Francis not to allow me to participate in the secret meeting, while continuing to maintain my innocence,” he said.

According to a Vatican statement released on Monday, the cardinals plan to begin the secret meeting on May 7, to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church, which represents about 1.4 billion believers worldwide.

Becciu’s decision to withdraw comes just seven days after he told a Sardinian newspaper that “there was no clear statement to remove me from the meeting, nor a written order asking me to formally withdraw.”

Becciu was convicted of embezzlement and fraud in 2023 and sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

He is the first cardinal to be tried by a Vatican criminal court.

But the cardinal, who has always maintained his innocence, filed an appeal that is still being considered.

He is allowed to continue living in a Vatican apartment while the process continues.