ROME — The Vatican appeals tribunal declared a mistrial on March 17, 2026 in the Vatican's financial crimes trial involving Cardinal Angelo Becciu and other defendants. The appeals court scheduled the new trial to begin on June 22, 2026.

The appeals court issued a 16-page ruling finding that procedural errors by Pope Francis and Vatican prosecutors nullified the original indictment and required a new trial. The court ruled that one of Pope Francis' decrees had the force of law and that its failure to be published nullified the decree. The appeals court ruled that prosecutors' failure to provide the defense with all evidence nullified the original indictment.

The case focused on the Vatican's investment of 350 million euros (about $413 million) in a London property. Prosecutors alleged that brokers and Vatican monsignors overcharged the Holy See tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions to acquire the London property and extorted 15 million euros (about $16.5 million) to cede control of it.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2023. Eight other defendants were convicted of embezzlement, abuse of office, fraud, and other charges.

Defense lawyers alleged that four secret decrees signed by Pope Francis granting prosecutors wide-ranging investigative powers violated the defendants' right to a fair trial because the decrees were never published. During the initial trial, Cardinal Angelo Becciu's lawyers complained that prosecutors did not provide all evidence to the defense. Prosecutors redacted documents, withheld the cellphone records of a key prosecution witness, and redacted text messages, citing the need to protect the secrecy of other investigations.

The appeals court ordered prosecutors to deposit all documentation in their original form by April 30, 2026. The appeals court gave the defense until June 15, 2026 to prepare motions before the new trial.

"The historic decision by the Court of Appeals—which, for the first time in Vatican history, ruled that a papal rescript was invalid and void due to failure to publish it—in our view results in the complete nullity of the entire investigation and trial. We are confident that we will be able to reach a swift conclusion to the trial with a largely acquittal verdict," said attorneys Massimo Bassi and Cataldo Intrieri.