VATICAN CITY — Cardinal George Pell of Australia died at 20:50 CET today after complications from hip replacement surgery, The Daily Wire has independently confirmed.
The 81-year-old Cardinal was best known for having been chosen by Pope Francis to head investigations into Vatican Finances, including a deep-diving external audit of the Vatican Bank by Price Waterhouse Coopers. His investigations preceded current reforms being implemented by Pope Francis.
In 2018, the Australian Cardinal left his position as Prefect of the Secretariat for Economy to face allegations of sexual abuse in Victorian court after an investigation — later known as “Operation Tethering,” where police admitted to investigating Pell without cause. Pell faced overwhelming anti-Catholic media bias, but maintained his innocence. He was nevertheless convicted and incarcerated in solitary confinement for over two years until overturned on appeal by the Australian Supreme Court. Pell later published a series of journals he wrote during this time in prison.
Prior to his convictions, Pell was known for setting up one of the first commissions for investigating clerical sexual abuse, along with reforming the main seminary of Australia during his time as Archbishop of Melbourne.
Cardinal Pell was residing near the Vatican, a close friend to the late Pope Benedict XVI, as seen in this lengthy interview, given just a week ago.