Berlusconi and the bunga bunga army

Friday, November 9, 2012. During the so-called Ruby-trial, it turns out that Silvio Berlusconi is still maintaining girls involved in (and witnesses of) the sex scandal.

Aris Espinosa

According to prosecutors, the 42 girls – among them the famous Ruby the Heartstealer (stage name of Karima El Mahroug), Elisa Toti, Aris Espinoza, Ioana Visan, Marysthell Polanco and Eleonora De Vivo – were recruited by Nicole Minetti and all live in a condominium in Milano 2 residential zone (address in 65 Via Olgettina, that's way the young females are also known as "le olgettine"), they obviously are habitués of the bunga-bunga parties (apart from being witnesses in a proceeding against Silvio Berlusconi in a sex-related trial), and they are all receiving around 2,500 euros monthly (that is £2,000 or $3,200), a pretty nice income in today's Italy.

Elisa Toti admitted also receiving a Mini car as a gift and help in the purchase of a house (in terms of cash and guarantee).

Aris Espinosa – a 23-year-old girl from Santo Domingo – receive the usal 2.5 thousand euros every month, but did not explained were a sum of 6,500 euros she had mentioned in a phone conversation (intercepted by investigators) came from. "Did this money fall from the sky?" prosecutor Antonio Sangermano asked. "It could be," Espinosa replied.

Ioana Visan

Ioana Visan received 10,000 euros on her name day (Ioana?).

Marysthell Garcia Polanco stated: "I receive 2,500 euros a month because I know Silvio Berlusconi, because I have a daughter and because after the scandal everybody's been thinking I was a whore". 

“Dottor Berlusconi” - as the girls deferentially address the billionaire – put these women in need in contact with former councillor Nicole Minetti, the head of this bunga bunga army, and she would organise everything in order to lodge the girls (she was also in charge when Karima 'Ruby the Heart Stealer' El Mahroug ended up in police custody).

One of the witnesses said that "Nicole never spoke well about Ruby, she used to say she was a runaway person, and a sl**".

Marysthell Garcia Polanco

Emilio Fede, former TG4 director and defendant (he – and the other defendant Lele Mora – allegedly recruited women for the famed bunga bunga parties), was present on the trial for the first time, but “just as a reporter” he said.

Can we just imagine whether Barack Obama or David Cameron would be found paying monthly amounts of money to young girls? Me neither. But when Silvio Berlusconi, former prime minister and member of the Parliament is found giving money to a bunch of girls... nothing really seems to happen.

The Olgettina-scene saw also other bunga bunga girls involved, like showgirls Barbara Guerra and Barbara Faggioli, and Brasilian prostitute Michelle Conceicao de Oliveira.

Next sitting will be on the 23 November.