In testimony before a Vatican tribunal, a former official of the Secretariat of State has confirmed that Pope Francis personally approved a loan to cover the costs of a controversial London real-estate venture.

Fabrizio Tirabassi, who is now a defendant in the landmark financial trial, said that Vatican officials were not properly informed about the details of one agreement in the complex deal—a claim that was promptly denied by another defendant.

Early testimony, as well as a written statement by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, had confirmed the Pope’s approval for the loan in question. But that loan later triggered an inquiry by the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority, leading eventually to the criminal charges now before the court.