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.
Sun, 12 May, 2013. Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset broadcaster Canale 5 airs a two-hour documentary to demonstrate prosecutors sex-related charges against the former prime minister are groundless (at least to the public opinion), as a last act of a counteroffensive against the Italian judiciary.
All but chaste
“The twenty years' war” is the title of a two-hour documentary, that was aired on Sunday, the day before the prosecutor's closing arguments would be declared at the Rubygate sex scandal trial (the request would be a 6-year sentence), where Silvio Berlusconi is accused of abuse of power and having paid the then-minor Karima El-Mahroug (aka Ruby Heartstealer, Ruby Rubacuori in Italian) for sex.
Silvio Berlusconi's stand is that the dinners where young girls and women were invited (some of them were just kept at hand in the bunga-bunga army) were pretty “normal soirées” and that his guests “kept their cloths on”. Nicole Minetti was not an organiser (was she his grilfriend at that time, as she declared?). Prosecution thinks he has been running a prostitution ring. So far they have been finding it difficult to reconcile the two different positions.
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.
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,».
January 2013. Silvio Berlusconi keeps on discovering conspiracies planned by his enemies, in order to prevent him to deservedly get back to Italy's helm. And he keeps instigating his supporters to fight against this Communist plot.
Silvio revealed the umpteenth plot against him
Silvio Berlusconi, in the attempt to gain sympathy from the public before the general election set for 24-25 February 2013, is trying to portray himself in different ways, but mainly as a victim.
In his own view, Silvio is a victim of a series of conspiracies and plots, he has being disclosing day after day. In the past he informed Barack Obama and Angela Merket about this terrible conspiracy (did they care?). Behind those plots obviously hid some of his countless enemies.
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.
Tuesday,
December 18, 2012. Invited to Italian state TV talk show “Porta a
Porta” (“Door to Door”) by anchorman and friend Bruno Vespa,
Silvio Berlusconi holds electoral an electoral speech and admits that
if the election will be held in February, his chances to win are
pretty dim.
"After Monti it's my turn"
“You
need... me” begins Silvio Berlusconi on the television screen, participating to Porta a Porta (Door to Door) one of the most viewed TV shows on state owned Rai1, after host Bruno
Vespa showed a footage of the previous night television programme (still on Rai1), where
Oscar-winner Italian actor Roberto Benigni joked about the fact that
it's the sixth time that the tycoon runs for office (“the seventh
time he shall rest” mocked Benigni).
"After Monti, it's my turn again" says Berlusconi's manifesto, projected by Bruno Vespa's staff. This is how things go in Italy, nowadays.
“You
need me and [...] I don't refrain [...] to render the assistance to
those in need” the former Italian prime minister continued, as the
conversation between the politician and business man and the
journalist went on following the usual politician-stooge pattern.
"Don't vote for small parties" warns the People of Liberty's president, founder and main financial backer, look for someone who "has got plenty of common sense", and than enunciates "I have been a winning entrepreneur, in every sector, I have built model cities, worked in the building, publishing and broadcasting industry".
In
reality the only electoral promise coming from Berlusconi is the
abolition of a municipal tax that his government introduced back in
2011 (Decree nr. 23, 14 March 2011), the infamous IMU (“Imposta
municipale propria”, a kind of Council Tax) in order to cover the
expenses left without funds by the repeal of the previous tax on real
proprieties “Imposta comunale sugli immobili” (ICI, “Municipal
Propriety Tax”).
Berlusconi
said that he can aim to get the 40 per cent of the votes, if he gets
enough time on TV to explain his reasons (pardon: his reason) his to
the Italians.
Gotcha!
What
is the alternative to Berlusconi? According to Berlusconi it's a social civil war, just like it (almost) happened in
Greece.
But in
the meantime another clock is ticking: a court set February 4, 2013
as the day for final hearing and judgement of the Rubygate
proceedings. In the trial Silvio Berlusconi is indicted of having
paid for sex an under-age prostitute known as “Ruby the
Heart-Stealer” (the real name is Karima El Mahroug) at his “bunga
bunga” parties, to which Moroccan belly-dancer Karima and droves of
other women were invited. If he gets a conviction, it might influence
his run for office.
Run
Silvio, run! I mean: slow down, Silvio, slow down...
Wednesday,
December 12, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi makes a U-turn and declares willingness to back Mario Monti in case of the creation of a broader moderate
alliance to beat Italian left-wingers.
Mario
Monti, the guy Berlusconi a few days ago dubbed as “beholden to
Germany”, acting as a quasi-accomplice of Angela Merkel to try to "topple a majority government elected by the Italians” by using a scam (the spread-scam),
leading a government that brought Italy to “the brink of the abyss”
is now the favourite candidate of the Italian media tycoon?
Can you believe that? Berlusconi is forcing Mario Monti to resign in
order to vote for Monti as a Prime Minister?
Yet another brainwave? Or just going nuts?
Italian
former Prime Minister took the occasion of a public event – the
televised presentation of start TV anchorman Bruno Vespa's latest
book – to inform the public of the last of his U-turn. Mr
Berlusconi said the he "proposed to Monti to be the candidate as
leader for the moderate centre coalition and he said he didn't want
to. If his position changes, I would have no problem with stepping
back ... I have no personal ambitions".
Monday, October 22, 2012. Gets public the news that a Silvio Berlusconi-owned real estate agent bought an apartment from the Neapolitan singer Mariano Apicella, a favourable witness in the Ruby-trial.
Apicella, Berlusconi - always willing to help a friend out -, Vespa
Mariano Apicella is a Neapolitan singer, “personal minstrel" of Silvio Berlusconi - together* they also published a music album, dubbed “Amore Vero” (“True Love”) in November 2011 - and he is a regular guest to the bunga-bunga parties (note: rumours spread that bung-bunga has been renamed squit-squit, but this is another story) at the former Italian PM mansion.
During the hearings of the so-called Ruby-trial (you know, Silvio is accused of having paid for sex with an under-age nightclub dancer, Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby the Heartbreaker), Apicella testified – he is giving a favourable testimony in the proceedings against Berlusconi – that he had never witnessed any kind of “grope” during the Arcore's Villa San Martino's hedonistic evenings, and he never saw the former Prime Minister “lay his hands on female guests”.
Now, it has come to light (i.e. Mr Apicella told the story to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera) that in June 2011 – the sex trial was already under way, Berlusconi had been indicted a few months before, the list of witnesses was disclosed in April 2011 – a real estate agent called “Dueville” bought an unpretentious apartment in the district Cecchina, in the small town of Albano Laziale from Mariano Apicella, at the price of €280,000 (£226,000). The owner of Dueville Immobiliare is Berlusconi's Dolcedrago (40 per cent) and two other companies linked to Berlusconi's Fininvest (60 per cent).
The Parthenopean minstrel said that Silvio Berlusconi was a person who deals with loads of money and who, open-handedly, wanted to “help me out.” And asked: “Is it forbidden to do a favour for a friend?".
The straightforward answer might be “no”, it is not forbidden to do any lawful favour to friends, but in case of witnesses in a criminal trial, well... the interpretation could be slightly different.
* Silvio Berlusconi is a fervent lyrics writer, he is also co-author with Mariarosaria Rossi of the People of Freedom new anthem, "People of Freedom"
Tuesday, June 13 2011. Italian Northern League's Roberto Calderoli states he's fed up with getting slapped in the face, as Silvio Berlusconi suffers the umpteenth defeat in a referendum.
Left-wingers celebrate victory in referendum
It's not a favourable period for Silvio Berlusconi. And it's not a favourable period for his allies. After the crushing local election defeat at the end of May – when both PdL (The People of Freedom) and Northern League reckoned a huge loss in votes – in last weekend Italians mass participation represented another overwhelming setback for the prime minister.
Calderoli (right) with Northern League's leader Umberto Bossi
Even though Berlusconi has downplayed the significance of the vote, Roberto Calderoli, member of the Senate of Italy and Minister for Legislative Simplification, is the one to speak out for his party: they are tired of being involved in Silvio's defeats.
In 2009 Silvio Berlusconi picked as one of his favourite pieces the resumption of nuclear power programme. Unluckily for him, just three months before the referendum, a huge earthquake – and an even more devastating tsunami – stroke Japan, creating one of the most serious incidents in the history of nuclear power in Fukushima. The final outcome of the incident still needs to be fully evaluated.
It's been relatively easy for the anti-nuclear movement – particularly strong in Italy – to reach (and exceed) the legal number of 50% of the voters plus one (indications shows that around 57% of the electorate took part in the referendum). Greenpeace called it a historic result, it comes few weeks after German chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Germany will cast nuclear power plants by 2022.
Actually Berlusconi tried anything in order to undermine the referendum results. Amongst his moves, he temporarily shelved his initiative for new power plants, then appealed against the referendum, saying that it was no longer needed (and hoping to avoid the defeat in the other three questions). But he did not succeed. Few days before the referendum – on June 7 – the Constitutional Court unanimously voted to let the referendum go ahead.
Bossi and Berlusconi: a friendship coming to an end?
And – as the prime minister knew already – it tuned out top become a major defeat for the forces of the Italian cabinet. The overwhelming majority (almost 95% of the voters) voted in favour of the four questions, related to the nuclear power, to the privatisation of water (two questions, voting “yes” meant saying rejecting it), and abrogation of the “legitimate impediment” (which allows the prime minister and cabinet ministers to avoid criminal trial's hearings).
Today the Rubygate trial will resume: other slaps in the offing?
Wednesday, June 1 2011. Unpredictable happens: Letizia Morattti hands over mayor post to Giuliano Pisapia as Silvio Berlusconi loses Milan and his crusade against gypsies and Italian left-wingers.
Letizia Moratti (BEFORE the elections)
Actually nobody could have predicted such an ending, Silvio Berlusconi said a defeat in his stronghold was “unthinkable”.
Berlusconi casting his vote
The far left-wingers thinks Giuliano Pisapia – the new mayor of Milan – is just another representative of the bourgeoisie of Lombardy capital, whilst the right-wingers thinks he's an extremist, friend of extremists. And everybody (especially the prime minister) tried to depict him as the wrong candidate.
Silvio Berlusconi and his coalition did everything they could do in order to hold the financial capital of Italy (and the prime minister birthplace) in their hands, turning the local election into a referendum, where the voter could only choose between handing the city over to gypsies and islamists, or vote for the PdL (The People of Freedom party) candidate, Letizia Moratti, a powerful woman, sister-in-law of the president of Inter Milan Football Club, Massimo Moratti, arch-enemy of Berlusconi's AC Milan.
Giuliano Pisapia,
the new mayor
And Silvio used all his power to communicate this simple message, appearing on TV in almost any news service (which – by the way – have been fined because of the lack of fairness, see our blog).
"If Pisapia wins," Berlusconi said, "Milan will become a Muslim town, a Gypsyville of Roma camps, a city besieged by foreigners." He did not manage to persuade the majority of the voters, since Pisapia won with 315,862 votes (55,01 per cent).
After losing Milan (not to mention Turin and Naples) to the leftists, June will be a difficult month for the prime minister, full of unpleasant appointments (apart from dealing with the anger of his ally, the Northern League). Among the others: the referendum on nuclear energy, which he tried to avoid with a legerdemain that did not work and has became quite a risky game (his enemies will try hard to beat him on that occasion too) and the resume of the Rubygate trial.
Is the fortune of the man who – for good or ill – has dominated Italian politics and society turning?
Monday, May 26 2011. In Deauville, during a pause of the G8 meeting, Silvio Berlusconi reports to Barack Obama about the “dictatorship of left-wing prosecutors” in Italy, hoping to get some kind of relief.
In three day Italy will face the local elections final run-off, where Mr Berlusconi and his allies could risk a major defeat, specially in key cities like the prime minister stronghold Milan and troubled Naples.
Approaching a surprised Obama
The Italian tycoon is fighting a personal war against Italy's left-wing, and he would resort to any means, even asking for foreign powers' help, in order to avoid such a blow.
Furthermore Mr Berlusconi is facing four trials at the same time, three of them related to fraud and corruption charges, and the infamous "Rubygate" case where he is charged with paying for sex with an under-age Moroccan belly dancer and then using his position to cover it up. Another good reason to warn the international community about the lack of freedom in Italy, due to the dictatorship of the left-winged judicial system.
The occasion to seek assistance was the meeting of G8 governments in Normandy's Deauville, where – with the aide of an interpreter – the Italian prime minister approached the president of the USA, Barack Obama.
Silvio was possibly inspired by Barack Obama's words when – in his recent visit to the UK – he has stated that the United States would be there for any people struggling for freedom.
Anyhow, though the whole 2-minute conversation was not disclosed, it is clear the Berlusconi said "We have presented a justice reform that is fundamental to us, in Italy we have almost a dictatorship of leftist judges," to a surprised-looking Obama, before world leaders began discussion of nuclear issues.
The news awestruck a large part of Italians, not knowing what to expect: NATO bombing or just a pizza and mozzarella embargo?
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.
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.
Monday, 21 March 2011. Milan. New leaks from the Rubygate investigation. At least 33 women are involved with Silvio Berlusconi's "flamboyant life".
Iris Berardi
New details – and pictures (allegedly taken by model Barbara Guerra's mobile phone) – have been leaking in the past days about Mr Berlusconi's flamboyant way of living and hot nights, target of an investigation called Rubygate, from the name of Ruby Rubacuori (nick name for Karima Rashida El Mahroug), the Tunisian girl (later it would turn out she is actually Moroccan) the Italian prime minister might have paid for sex whilst she was still a minor.
The other under-age girl being Iris Berardi, a brazilian showgirl and possibly a prostitute.
Karima Rashida El Mahroug
(aka Ruby Rubacuori)
Allegedly Arcore's Villa San Martino hosted dressing-up (and down) parties, where female guests played different roles: AC Milan's players (specially Ronaldinho and his buck teeth), policewomen, nurses and so on.
Prosecutors linked at least 33 women to the 74-year-old Italian politician. Next month the first of a series of hearings will be held in Milan.
The proceedings are likely to linger on for quite some time.
Perhaps in an attempt to disguise his real identity, some of Berlusconi's women (like former show-girl and dental hygienist and now politician Nicole Minetti) gave up the Papi (Daddy) nickname and called the politician Betty (yes, it's a female nickname in Italy too!). Is't that funny?
Nicole Minetti
The investigation seems to have clarified the bunga-bunga price list that was in use during the Arcore's hot nights:
- 2,000 euro (around £1,750, $2,835) were paid to the girls for the mere participation to the evening;
- 5,000 euro (about £4,370, $7,085) were granted for those who - after the dinner - were to participate to the bunga-bunga party, in the discotheque underground;
- up to 7,000 euro (£6,115, $9,920 circa) was (allegedly) the reward for the chosen one, who would spend the night with “Betty” and... more bunga-bunga.
The date of the begin of the proceedings is April 6, 2011.
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».
