The Vatican’s Office of the Promoter of Justice has launched a new investigation into Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, a former public relations consultant implicated in the 2015 Vatileaks scandal
Newsroom (07/06/2025 09:50 , Gaudium Press) The Vatican’s Office of the Promoter of Justice has launched a new investigation into Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, a former public relations consultant implicated in the 2015 Vatileaks scandal, for alleged perjury and witness tampering in the Vatican’s high-stakes financial crimes trial concluded in December 2023. The probe, reported by Italian media on June 4, 2025, centers on Chaouqui’s role in shaping testimony during the trial, which resulted in the conviction of Cardinal Angelo Becciu and others for financial misconduct tied to a disastrous London property investment.
Allegations of Witness Tampering and Perjury
Chaouqui, 43, faces accusations of manipulating Monsignor Alberto Perlasca, a key prosecution witness, through her associate Genevieve Ciferri, a consecrated laywoman and close friend of Perlasca. Italian media, including Domani and Tg1Rai, report that Chaouqui allegedly paid Ciferri to influence Perlasca’s testimony, which became pivotal in securing Becciu’s five-and-a-half-year sentence. Prosecutors also suspect Chaouqui provided false testimony by downplaying her coordination with other figures, including Ciferri and Stefano De Santis, a Vatican Gendarmerie official.
Leaked WhatsApp messages, first published by Domani in April 2024, reveal a web of communication between Chaouqui, Ciferri, and De Santis, suggesting Chaouqui had detailed foreknowledge of prosecutor Alessandro Diddi’s strategy. In one exchange, Ciferri marveled, “It’s fantastic how you know these indiscretions! I will never ask how you do it… it’s enough that they are one hundred percent true.” These messages, partially withheld by Diddi during the trial for a separate investigation, indicate Chaouqui may have orchestrated Perlasca’s cooperation to target Becciu, with whom she has a documented vendetta.
Perlasca, former head of the Secretariat of State’s administrative office, initially resisted cooperating but flipped in August 2020, delivering a memo that fueled accusations against Becciu. He later admitted in court that Chaouqui, through Ciferri, influenced his statements, believing her to be a “retired magistrate” to conceal her identity. Perlasca’s testimony included claims of Becciu’s financial misconduct, though Vatican judges largely sidelined his evidence in favor of other findings.
Chaouqui’s Controversial History
Chaouqui’s Vatican saga began in 2013 when Pope Francis appointed her to the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See (COSEA), tasked with recommending financial reforms. Her tenure ended in scandal when she was convicted in 2016 for leaking confidential documents in the “Vatileaks 2.0” case, receiving a 10-month suspended sentence. Italian tabloids dubbed her “La bomba sexy” and “the popess,” amplifying her polarizing persona.
Her feud with Becciu, whom she blames for her 2016 conviction, has been public and bitter. In 2017, leaked texts showed Chaouqui demanding Becciu’s help to restore her reputation, warning of information that could “get you in serious trouble.” By 2020, after Becciu’s dismissal by Pope Francis, Chaouqui offered to cooperate with prosecutors, a move Becciu’s defense later framed as a revenge plot.
The Trial and Its Aftermath
The 2023 trial, dubbed the Vatican’s “Trial of the Century,” exposed systemic financial mismanagement, particularly the Secretariat of State’s €350 million investment in a London property that cost the Vatican millions in losses. Becciu was convicted of funneling funds to associates, including €500,000 to Cecilia Marogna, a self-styled security consultant, and diverting money to his brother, Antonio Becciu, for a Sardinian charity, prompting a separate Italian investigation. Becciu’s claims of papal authorization were debunked by secret recordings and letters showing Pope Francis’ ignorance of the transactions.
Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi, a polarizing figure, faced criticism for withholding 119 of 126 WhatsApp messages between Chaouqui and Ciferri, citing their relevance to the new investigation. Defense lawyers argued this compromised Becciu’s right to a fair trial, a claim rejected by Judge Giuseppe Pignatone. Diddi’s tactics, including allegations of intimidation, have drawn scrutiny, with the court’s rejection of his central arguments leading to his appeal of the 2023 verdict alongside the defendants.
Chaouqui’s Defense and Vatican Dynamics
Chaouqui, who has not publicly commented on the new probe, previously claimed her actions aimed to reform Vatican finances and protect Pope Francis. In a June 5, 2025, post on X, she wrote, “The truth comes out? Which one? The one for which the cardinal was convicted? Everything I did was to bring out the truth that the court and the conviction confirmed.” She expressed readiness to cooperate with Diddi, denying witness tampering allegations.
The investigation raises questions about the Vatican’s judicial transparency and Diddi’s office, with suggestions of internal leaks fueling Chaouqui’s access to sensitive information. Her 2022 public greeting with Pope Francis, despite his reported refusal to pardon her, underscored tensions, with Becciu lamenting it as tacit support for her “accusatory theses.”
Broader Implications
The probe into Chaouqui highlights ongoing challenges in Vatican governance, where personal rivalries and opaque processes continue to undermine reform efforts. Perlasca’s recent reappointment as adjunct promoter of justice at the Apostolic Signatura, despite his controversial role, signals a complex rehabilitation within the Curia. As the Vatican navigates this latest scandal, the interplay of loyalty, betrayal, and power remains a persistent shadow over Pope Francis’ reform agenda. How will Pope Leo XIV handle the never ending Vatican Financial Saga.
Raju Hasmukh with data sourced from:
– Domani, “Le chat che inchiodano Francesca Chaouqui,” April 14, 2024.
– Tg1Rai, “Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui indagata,” June 4, 2025.
– Il Tempo, “Sono serena: Il Tribunale vaticano apre fascicolo contro Chaouqui,” June 4, 2025.
– Lettera43, “Caso Becciu, il Vaticano apre un fascicolo nei confronti di Francesca Chaouqui,” June 4, 2025.
– The Pillar, “Report: Vatican investigates Francesca Chaouqui for perjury, witness tampering,” June 6, 2025.
– National Catholic Reporter, “New testimony at Vatican financial trial details intrigue over key witness’s deposition,” January 13, 2023.
– Religion News Service, “WhatsApp leaks raise suspicions of meddling in Vatican’s financial megatrial,” April 16, 2025.
– Vatican City Court Records, Financial Crimes Trial, December 2023.
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