Journalist deflates accusation at Vatican financial trial
An Italian journalist Wednesday deflated an accusation in the Vatican's sprawling financial trial, as he disputed prosecutors' claims about the source of a document concerning the Vatican's 350 million euro investment in a London property.
Investigative journalist Emiliano Fittipaldi was called to testify by defense lawyers representing Tommaso Di Ruzza, former head of the Vatican's financial watchdog agency. Vatican prosecutors accused Di Ruzza of having given Fittipaldi a copy of a contract related to the London deal, in violation of Vatican confidentiality laws.
Fittipaldi, then a reporter at L'Espresso magazine and now with the Domani daily, had published a screenshot of the contract Oct. 1, 2019, just as the Vatican investigation into the London deal was heating up.
Prosecutors ultimately charged 10 people, alleging that Vatican officials, Italian brokers and others fleeced the Holy See of tens of millions of euros and then extorted the Vatican of 15 million euros to hand over control of the London property. All 10 have denied wrongdoing.
Fittipaldi told the court Wednesday that Di Ruzza didn't give him the contract and had nothing to do with the article.
“I exclude it,” Fittipaldi said. While recalling that journalists don't reveal their sources, Fittipaldi told the court he had asked the person who did show him the contract if he could reveal his identity and said the source agreed.
Fittipaldi identified him as Marcello Massinelli and provided text messages to the court indicating their