A cardinal sacked by the Pope for alleged embezzlement has been accused of funnelling €500,000 to an Italian woman who spent some of the cash on luxury shoes, handbags and accessories.
Giovanni Angelo Becciu, stripped of his rights as a cardinal last month, allegedly paid the money from Vatican funds to Cecilia Marogna, who claims to be an intelligence operative with links to the Italian secret services.
She reportedly spent it on shoes, clothes and luxury items, said newspaper Corriere della Sera, basing its report on leaked Vatican documents.
Ms Marogna admitted receiving the €500,000 in Vatican funds through a company she runs that is based in Slovenia. But she said she had spent it on “diplomatic trips, paying sources for information, mediation and donations to humanitarian organisations”.
Read more at Independent.ie