Two Ex-Officials of Vatican-Run Hospital Charged With Misusing Money
This year, the Vatican announced an investigation into the misuse of 422,000 euros, or about $483,000, after revelations by Emiliano Fittipaldi, an Italian journalist and the author of the book "Greed." The examples of shady Vatican business practices revealed in
that book led to a trial of Mr. Fittipaldi and four others on charges of publishing leaked documents.
Mr. Profiti, who retired in January 2015, nine months into a new three-year term, acknowledged last year in an interview with the Turin-based daily La Stampa
that hospital funds had been used in the apartment renovation, but called it a "strategic" marketing investment because the hospital planned to use the cardinal’s refurbished apartment for fund-raising.
The officials — Giuseppe Profiti, the former president of the Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital,
and Massimo Spina, its former treasurer — were ordered to stand trial in a Vatican court next Tuesday.
By JASON HOROWITZJULY 13, 2017
ROME — Two former officials of a Vatican-owned children’s hospital were charged on Thursday with misappropriating nearly half a million dollars
for the renovation of the luxurious apartment of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s second in command under Pope Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Bertone, who appointed Mr. Profiti, has not been charged in connection with the rerouted hospital funds,
and the Vatican has said he is not under investigation.
On Thursday evening, Cardinal Bertone’s lawyer, Michele Gentiloni Silveri, responded
that the prelate "will abstain from whatever comment or remark as a sign of unconditional respect toward the Vatican Judiciary." This is not the first time recently that an unflattering focus has fallen on the children’s hospital, the so-called pope’s hospital.