Berlusconi's sex trial ends with a seven years sentence in prison for the ex-PM

Mon, 24 June 2013. Berlusconi found guilty of having abused power and had sex with a under-age prostitute, sentenced to seven years in jail.

After more than seven hours of deliberation, today Milan's court judges sentenced to seven years in jail the 76-year old former prime minister of Italy guilty of a couple of charges related to the Rubygate (the inquiry about the Moroccan belly dancer - and allegedly whore - Karima El Mahroug ).

7-year jail sentence for Mr Berlusconi

The sentence involves a ban from holding public office for life. All this pending the outcome of an appeal.

Silvio Berlusconi's protégé Karima-Ruby says she is not a prostitute (though others seem to think otherwise)

Rubygate: who knows the truth
and who's interested in it?

Thursday, 4 April, 2013. Silvio Berlusconi's favourite belly dancer (and alleged prostitute) Ruby the Heart Stealer holds an emotional protest in front of Milan's tribunal (and raises angry reaction from other bunga-bunga women).

“The Ruby case: Are you not interested in the truth any more?” read on the signed carried by the curvaceous Ruby the Heartstealer (real name: Karima El Mahroug) as the young Moroccan staged a protest (this time properly dressed up) by reading a statement to the journalists. 

Prosecutors state that Ruby had paid sex with Silvio Berlusconi when she was 17, and the billionaire is also accused of having abused of his position as prime minister, when he intervened with police after Karima was arrested because she was accused of stealing money from a friend.

Has Silvio Berlusconi been running a “prostitution ring”?

Monday, 4 March, 2013. Silvio Berlusconi has been running a prostitution ring, according to prosecutors' final arguments in the last episode of the Rubygate sex scandal related proceedings.

Karima El-Mahroug, aka Ruby the Heart Stealer

Silvio Berlusconi is on trial – he managed to postpone the proceeding, due to the general elections, but now he is running out of excuses... -, since he is accused of soliciting an under-age prostitute (the Moroccan Karima el-Mahroug, also known as Ruby Rubacuori i.e. Ruby Heart Stealer) and for abuse of power, for having managed to free the aforementioned Ruby Heart Stealer from the strong arm of the law, and ushered her into the hands of Milan's municipality's councillor (party-organizer and part-time bikini-model) Nicole Minetti, by illicit means (amongst them he apparently said to the police that Karima-Ruby - apparently - was the granddaughter of Egypt's former dictator Hosni Mubarak).

Silvio Berlusconi heading to the court

By doing this, Silvio – who at the time was Italy's prime minister – recruited the Moroccan belly-dancer (and alleged call girl) into the bunga-bunga army, a bunch of young women - the bunga-bunga girls - to be used for entertainment during parties in his villa in Arcore. The women used to get a bed where to sleep, 2,500 euro a month ($3,250 or £2,160), plus gifts and presents in case of birthdays or name days.

The prosecutor – Antonio Sangermano – said that Karima El-Mahroug (who was 17, when first attended a so-called bunga-bunga party) was "an integral part" of a "complex prostitution ring". In the next days the prosecutors will publish the requested sentence, the defence will reply on 11 March, and on 18 March the trail will end with a verdict.

All this is hardly likely to help the difficult relationship between the former premier of Italy and the Italian Judiciary, which – according to Silvio Berlusconi – is «more dangerous than the Sicilian Mafia,».

Silvio Berlusconi and the socks of the judges

Thursday, December 20, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi-s owned gossip magazine attempts to delegitimize a magistrate looking into sex-scandal trial by denigrate her socks. It's not the first time they resort to this extreme measure, Italian judges should pay more attention to the colour of their socks, experts say.

Ilda Boccassini doing work

The prosecutor in charge of the Rubygate – a case in which Silvio Berlusconi is indicted for having given money to under-age Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) – has appeared on a photo shoot on Berlusconi's Mondadori-owned “Chi” weekly magazine, a gossip newspaper.

Judge Ilda Boccassini is an old enemy of Berlusconi's, since she took over the place of Antonio Di Pietro, back in 1994, in the “Mani pulite” (“Clean hands”) investigation.

Silvio and Ilda met up in several occasions, since.

Ilda Boccassini doing shopping

The gossip weekly portrays the judge as she goes shopping in the centre of Milan, adding captions in order to deride the magistrate. A list of her cloths is published, where “multi-coloured striped wool socks”, costing 21 euro, are exhibited and undrlined in order – somehow – to belittle the judge. Another photo shows Ilda Boccassini dropping the butt of a cigarette to the ground. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and Rai3 news service accused the media outlet of "hounding" the judge.

A similar technique was used by Canale5 broadcaster staff in 2009, when they hounded judge Raimondo Mesiano, who ordered to Silvio Berlusconi's Fininvest to pay 750 million euro (£612m) to Carlo De Benedetti's – arch-enemy of The Knight – CIR, as a compensation in the frame of the Lodo Mondadori, a battle between the two Italian entrepreneurs following the acquisition of publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore by Fininvest. Mr Mesiano was followed by the broadcaster's men, his turquoise-coloured socks were exposed as a major offence.

Ruby rebuilding her virginity with Chi's Alfonso Signorini

By the way, the weekly magazine we started this post with is owned by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore SpA (company chaired by Silvio's daughter, Maria Elvira Berlusconi, commonly known as Marina Berlusconi). The paper is also known for having published topless photos of Kate Middleton earlier this year, and a picture of prnicess Diana, taken as she was dying, after a car accident on 31 August 1997. The Director of “Chi”, Alfonso Signorini, was in charge also when Mediaset (on Canale 5's Kalispéra TV show) tried to prove that Ruby the Heart Stealer was – in reality – a kind of vocational nun, not a prostitute.

The Rubygate trial is going to continue on 4 February, after the last session – in which key witness and name giver for the investigation Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) was missing – was adjourned.

Obviously Silvio thinks that the best defence is a good offence.

Socks on the right...

Silvio Berlusconi and the missing key witness

Monday, December 10, 2012. Key defence witness Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) does not show up in court for Silvio Berlusconi's sex-related Rubygate trial. It turns out she's in Mexico.

Are you trying to delay the proceedings? Oh, not at all!

Most probably Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) just forgot the court date (Silvio Berlusconi's trial, he is accused of having paid for her sexual services, as under-age prostitute) when she decided to travel to Mexico, with her boyfriend and one-year-old daughter Sofia Aida.

That's why she was not there last Monday, without notifying her attorney or sending any documentation to justify the absence from the sex-scandal trial. Quite remarkably, Berlusconi's lawyers did not bother to talk to her, just to make sure they'd be on the same page in the court, just to realise she was somewhere else.

Silvio Berlusconi and the eagerly awaited sex-scandal trial

Wednesday, April 6 2011. The first session of the Silvio Berlusconi's Rubygate trial has been adjourned, after 15 minutes.

Do you know how trials work in Italy? The so-called “Rubygate” proceedings are a good example of that. Silvio Berlusconi is accused of having paid an under-age prostitute for her services, namely Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby Rubacuori (Italian for "Ruby Heartstealer", the nom de guerre of the girl). Other women were believed to have received money for the same reason, but they were adults, and that's not a crime in Italy (I mean: it's not a crime to give money in exchange for sex to women above 18).

Court and press

The first hearings were due for on 6 April. The build-up was huge. An extensive international press coverage was set-up. Outside of the fascist-era court building in Milan an assemblage people gathered: curious folks, Berlusconi tireless haters and fans.

Silvio Berlusconi and the Witnesses

Wednesday, March 30 2011. The tricky ways of Silvio Berlusconi's lawyers (in the intent of finding any possible way out of the sex scandale dubbed Rubygate).

Niccolò Ghedini, lawyer

As the Prime Minister was showing off in Lampedusa, his army of indefatigable lawyers (led by Niccolò Ghedini) and solicitors were preparing for the mother of all battles, to be fought in few days.

Mara Carfagna, minister

The public prosecutors - who pledged to shut Silvio Berlusconi behind bars, sooner of later – this time are trying to prove that the PM had sex with an under-age dancer, Karima El Mahroug (commonly known as Ruby “Rubacuori”, the Heart Stealer). And paid money for her "sexual services".

More and more people refer to this sex scandal as the Rubygate.

The first hearings will take place on 6 April (if the Parliament is not going to rule the date off on the previous day, when a vote conflict of competence is foreseen), that's why Berlusconi's lawyers are sharpening their knives.

Amongst the trickiest possible weapons, one of the smartest, if you want to drag things out is the following: pack the witness box with people, possible celebrities, to make the greatest possible fuss.

That's why there are almost 80 witnesses (more then a few are women) ready to be heard.

Clooney and Canalis, friends

The defence has called the following witnesses, amongst the others (quite a few are women, beautiful women): Venezuelan showgirl Aida Yespica and Argentinian actress and showgirls Belèn Rodriguez (there is a numerous colony of South American beauties in Italy, as you might expect), Minister of for Equal Opportunity Mara Carfagna (Maxim's "World´s Hottest Politician”), Public Education's Minister Mariastella Gelmini and Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini, Neapolitan singer Mariano Apicella, journalist (and king of gossip) Carlo Rossella, anchorwoman Barbara D'Urso, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, Hollywood star George Clooney and his girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis.

Quite a list, isn't it? Funny Berlusconi.

A bewildered George Clooney considers “odd” the idea that he could be called as a witness in the bunga-bunga sex scandal trial of Silvio Berlusconi, since he only met the Italian prime minister once (and it was in relation of quite a different topic: raising money for the population of Darfour).

Ilda Boccassini, judge

On the other side of the fence, the judge Ilda Boccassini and her prosecutors have also prepared quite a long list of witnesses (more than 130), but 33 (or perhaps 43, as somebody said) out of them are just, you know, bunga-bunga girls and women.

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel

Silvio Berlusconi DID NOT sing any song

Thursday, 24 March 2011. Silvio Berlusconi DID NOT sing any song. Signed: The Italian Government's Cabinet.

The Cabinet of the Italian Government issues a clarifying note – through it's official site www.governo.it – that should stop for good the terrible and slanderous rumours the communist press has been spreading around in the previous days.

The Italian Government official note

The rumours follow the dinner Mr Berlusconi organised at Palazzo Grazioli, his residence in Rome, with a group of members of the Italian Parliament, called the Responsible Ones (Movement of National Responsibility). The group - founded by Domenico Scilipoti - is called "The Responsible Ones" because the members switched sides (they were affiliated to Antonio Di Pietro's Italy of Values), in order to keep Silvio Berlusconi's coalition alive.

Too many women for Silvio Berlusconi?

Sunday, 25 January 2009. Sassari (Sardinia). Silvio Berlusconi, Il Cavaliere, admits he hasn't a clue about how to solve the problem of rapes in Rome and other Italian cities.

Following a series of sex related assaults carried out around Italy, reporters questioned the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi about the possibility of deploying army troops to defent women and curb sexual crime.

Berlusconi laughing with fans (female fans, of course)

The politician replied by saying that there would be the need to send as many soldiers as there are beautiful girls and women in country.

So, Italy would need millions of soldiers, not just 300,000 units an initial the proposal stated.

People shouldn't forget that Silvio remarks are often made with a sense of "levity", as the president billionaire pointed out later. Oh, he can be so funny, Silvio Berlusconi.

Here's my daughter. She's already come of age.

Saturday, 19 February 2011. Italy's Capital historical centre. The Italian politician-entrepreneur meets up with the journalist, a relaxing moment with Silvio Berlusconi. Or is it?

Enrico Mentana, Director of TG La7

Silvio Berlusconi and Enrico Mentana (former anchorman of Berlusconi's TG5 and Matrix TV programmes and now news director at La7, Italian niche TV channel) bump into each other centre of Rome.

The Italian Prime Minister's armour-plated car is leaving Palazzo Grazioli, his residence in Rome. Mentana is strolling around with his family.

Silvio Berlusconi spots his former employee, stops the procession, gets out of his car to greet him. Big smiles, hand shaking (apparently they both forgot any previous conflict. And they did have conflicts*!), then the Premier starts a small talk with the youngest of Mentana's children, sitting on the journalist shoulders: «You're such a big girl, you shouldn't need to suck a dummy».