The Italian cardinal at the heart of the Vatican’s “trial of the century” is withdrawing from participating in the upcoming conclave.

An Italian cardinal who was convicted of embezzlement and fraud said on Tuesday he would not take part in the secret conclave to elect a new pope, as thoughts turned to who will succeed Pope Francis who died last week.

Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said the names of the two cardinals would not be revealed during an afternoon press briefing.