Two accused of using Vatican-run children’s hospital funds for cardinal’s apartment

Indictment orders Giuseppe Profiti and Massimo Spina to stand trial

Former Vatican secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Photograph: Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Former Vatican secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Photograph: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

The former president and ex-treasurer of the Vatican-run children’s hospital have been indicted for allegedly diverting money from the hospital’s foundation to pay for renovations on a top cardinal’s apartment.

The indictment ordered Giuseppe Profiti and Massimo Spina to stand trial, starting next Tuesday.

It accuses the two of using €422,000 euro from the Bambino Gesu paediatric hospital’s fundraising foundation to pay for renovations of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s apartment when he retired as the Vatican’s secretary of state.

The cardinal has denied knowledge of the payment.

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Mr Profiti, whose administration was the subject of a recent AP investigation into quality of care at the “pope’s hospital”, has admitted to the payment, but said it was an investment so that the foundation could use the apartment for fundraising events.

– PA