LONDON — 1982 · Suspicious Death
The Death of "God's Banker" Roberto Calvi
Roberto Calvi, chairman of Italy's Banco Ambrosiano and nicknamed "God's banker" for his close ties to the Vatican, was found hanging beneath Blackfriars Bridge in London on the morning of 18 June 1982, with stones in his pockets. His death coincided with the collapse of his bank. A first London inquest returned a suicide verdict, and a second an open verdict. New forensic work in 2003 indicated he had been killed elsewhere. Five people were tried for murder in Rome, but all were acquitted for insufficient evidence in June 2007. How he died has never been established.
- Date
- 1982
- Place
- Blackfriars, England, London, UK
- Category
- Suspicious Death
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 51.5090, -0.1050 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 18 June 1982Calvi was found dead beneath Blackfriars Bridge.
- July 1982A first inquest recorded suicide.
- 1983A second inquest returned an open verdict.
- 2003New forensic tests strengthened the case for murder.
- 6 June 2007Five defendants were acquitted in Rome.
Sources
- NBC News — All acquitted in 'God's banker' murder trial nbcnews.com ↗
- The Irish Times — Five acquitted of killing 'God's banker' irishtimes.com ↗
- NBC News
- The Irish Times
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.