(ZENIT News / Rome, 06.30. 2026) – Priests Paolo Carnio and Livio Buso, from Treviso, Italy, have been cleared of an accusation brought before the Court of Padua following a lawsuit filed by Gianbruno Cecchin. The plaintiff must pay damages for defamation, as the alleged sexual abuses, said to have occurred at the Seminary, never took place.
Judgment No. 724/2026, issued by the Civil Section II last April 27, dismissed the complaint filed by Cecchin, 55, who claimed to have suffered abuse during the year he studied at the Treviso Episcopal Seminary, when he was 19 and both priests were serving there as instructors.
The central aspect of this legal proceeding has been the public restoration of the honor of the two falsely accused priests. The Court acknowledged that defamation had occurred and confirmed the lack of credibility of the accuser, who had based his account on academic degrees and teaching roles he claimed to hold — claims whose authenticity was refuted by the relevant university. The ruling also awarded compensation of 50,000 euros to each priest and ordered the plaintiff to pay the legal costs.
The six years since the complaint was filed have been especially difficult and painful for both priests, the Seminary, the Bishop, and the entire Diocese of Treviso. In 2021, various local and national media outlets gave widespread coverage to the allegations through interviews, videos, and television appearances.
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