An Australian man who gave evidence that Cardinal George Pell sexually abused him has denied he was bribed for his testimony, rejecting the latest conspiracy theory sweeping the Vatican.
Italian news reports claim that Vatican funds were sent to people in Australia to help secure a sex assault conviction against the cardinal.
Two newspapers, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera have reported that Cardinal Pell's rival in the Vatican, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, is suspected of arranging for $A1.14 million, or €700,000, to be wired to recipients in Australia to ensure evidence against Cardinal Pell.
Corriere della Sera quoted a dossier of leaked documents, including wire transfers linked to Cardinal Becciu.
Cardinal Pell, brought in by Pope Francis to restore accountability and transparency to the Vatican's finances, was convicted but ultimately cleared by Australia's High Court of allegations he molested two choirboys in St Patrick's Cathedral in the Victorian capital, Melbourne, soon after his appointment as archbishop in the 1990s.
Corriere della Sera speculated that Becciu might have “bought” the testimony of Pell's accuser to get Pell out of the Vatican.
However on Monday, Vivian Waller, lawyer for the prosecution's key witness, one of the former choirboys whose testimony led a jury to initially convict Pell in 2018, rejected any suggestion that her client had been bribed.
“My client denies any knowledge or receipt of any payments,” Ms Waller said. “He won't be commenting further in response to these allegations.”
Cardinal Pell's barrister, Robert Richter, QC, has called for an international investigation into the reports.
Mr Richter told The Australian newspaper the allegations were serious and should be investigated by authorities with the capacity to track money.
“These are serious allegations and they need to be investigated properly and independently,” he said.
“Only then will we know where it’s gone.”
Cardinal Pell, 79, was jailed in early 2019 and spent 13 months behind bars.
In April this year he was released from prison and had his convictions quashed after a successful appeal to the High Court.
The latest Italian media claims of conspiracy coincide with Cardinal Pell's return to the Vatican for the first time since he took leave from his post as head the powerful Secretariat for the Economy so he could return to Australia to face the criminal charges.
The rivalry between Cardinal Pell and Cardinal Becciu dates back to at least 2016 when the Australian, in his then role as the Vatican's treasurer, ordered an audit of the Holy See's finances.
Last month, Cardinal Becciu resigned from his position at the Vatican's office responsible for recognising saints. He and other Vatican officials are under investigation over their alleged involvement in a financial scandal.
Before he returned to Italy last month, Cardinal Pell released a statement saying: “I hope the cleaning of the stables continues in both the Vatican and Victoria.”
Victoria Police has not received a complaint about the money transfers, raised in the Italian new reports.
Cardinal Becciu has strongly denied any wrongdoing, despite another Italian newspaper, Il Messaggero, quoting the former right-hand man to Cardinal Becciu claiming that a bank transfer was made from the Vatican to a bank in Australia.
The article quotes Monsignor Alberto Perlasca saying the transfer was made at the same time that the child-abuse case against Cardinal Pell was developing in Australia.
Monsignor Perlasca worked closely with Cardinal Becciu when the latter was second in charge at the Vatican’s secretariat of state.
The Australian newspaper said Vatican sources suggest the Pope is considering the launch of a “maxi processo” – a kind of super inquiry – to investigate the allegations against Cardinal Becciu.
Those include claims of multi-million-pound London property deals and the existence of a slush fund to dig dirt on alleged enemies, including Cardinal Pell.
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