From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Silvio Berlusconi underage prostitution charges
Silvio Berlusconi underage prostitution charges
Main article: Trials involving Silvio Berlusconi merely attended dinner at his mansion near Milan. El
The Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, is being Mahroug said she sat next to Berlusconi, who later took
accused of paying Moroccan nightclub dancer Karima El her upstairs and gave her an envelope containing €7,000.
Mahroug – also known by the stage name Ruby She said he also gave her jewellery.[5]
Rubacuori (Italian for "Ruby Heartstealer") – for sexual
services between February and May 2010 when she was
under the age of 18 [nb 1] and, still more seriously under
Investigation
Italian law, for abuse of office (It. "concussione") relating In January 2011, Berlusconi was placed under criminal in-
to her release from detention. While the investigators vestigation relating to El Mahroug for allegedly having
claim to have evidence from lawful interception of mo- sex with an underage prostitute and for abuse of office
bile phone conversations, Berlusconi’s lawyers deny the relating to her release from detention.[7] Berlusconi’s
allegations, calling the investigation absurd and without lawyers were quick to deny the allegations as "absurd
foundation.[1][2] The trial opened on April 6, 2011 and was and without foundation" and called the investigation a
adjourned until May 31, 2011. "serious interference with the private life of the Prime
Minister without precedent in the judicial history of the
country."[1]
Arrest of El Mahroug The Telegraph reported March 6 that prosecutors were
On 27 May 2010, El Mahroug was arrested by the police in days from requesting charges against Emilio Fede, a tele-
Milan after being accused of the theft of three thousand vision anchorman, and Dario ’Lele’ Mora, a well-known
euros. Since she was not carrying any legal or identifica- celebrity agent, for procuring underage girls in a ’vast
tion documents, the officers took her to the local police pimping network’ to attend ’bunga bunga’ sex parties
headquarters to identify her and for questioning. Since with the prime minister. According to the prosecutors’
she was a minor under eighteen, a judge ordered the po- dossier, Fede ’discovered’ El Mahroug when acting as a
lice to direct her to a shelter for juvenile offenders. judge at a beauty pageant in Sicily in September 2009,
After a couple of hours, while she was being ques- and passed her on to the Mora’s offices in central Milan,
tioned, Berlusconi, who was at the time in Paris, called which served as a ’form of "clearing centre" for women
the head of the police in Milan and pressured for her re- eager to enter the prime minister’s circle in pursuit of
lease, claiming the girl was related to then President Hos- money, gifts and help with their show business ca-
ni Mubarak of Egypt and that in order to avoid a diplo- reers’.[8]
matic crisis, she was to be brought to the custody of Ni-
cole Minetti. Following repeated telephone calls by Ber-
lusconi to the police authorities, El Mahroug was eventu-
Indictment of Berlusconi
ally released and entrusted to Minetti’s care.[3] On 15 February 2011, a judge indicted Berlusconi to stand
Minetti was known for previous associations with trial.[9] If convicted, the Prime Minister could face up to
Berlusconi, having danced for "Colorado Cafe", a show on 15 years in prison.[10] Paying for sex with a minor in Italy
one of Berlusconi’s TV channels, and on "Scorie", an Ital- is punished within a range of six months to three years
ian version of Candid Camera. In November 2009 she be- imprisonment, while the crime of malfeasance in office
came a dental hygienist, and shortly afterward treated (Italian: it:concussione) is more severely punished, from
Berlusconi for two broken teeth and facial injuries after four years to twelve years imprisonment, as it is consid-
he was attacked with a marble statue at a political rally.[4] ered a type of extortion committed by a public officer.
In February 2010, she was selected as one of the candi- The fast-track trial opened on 6 April and was ad-
dates representing Berlusconi’s The People of Freedom journed until 31 May. El Mahrougs’ lawyer said that
party, despite a lack of political experience, and was seat- Marhroug would not be attaching herself to the case as a
ed on the Regional Council of Lombardy the following civil complainant and denies that she ever made herself
month.[5][6] available for money. Another alleged victim, Giorgia
The Guardian reported that according to a series of Iafrate, also decided not to be a party to the case.[11]
media reports in October 2010, Berlusconi had met El
Mahroug, then 17, through Nicole Minetti. Mahroug in-
sisted that she had not slept with the then 74-year-old
See also
prime minister. She told Italian newspapers that she • Bunga bunga
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Silvio Berlusconi underage prostitution charges
• Sabina Began [5] ^ Walker, Peter (14 January 2011). "Ruby Rubacuori
• Controversies of Silvio Berlusconi could finally bring down Silvio Berlusconi". The
• Legal problems of Silvio Berlusconi Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/
jan/14/ruby-rubacuori-silvio-berlusconi.
[6] "Female politician ’organized lesbian romps for
Notes Silvio Berlusconi". New Kerala. 19 January 2011.
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/
[1] Although neither sex with persons between the fullnews-127291.html.
ages of 14&17 nor prostitution is illegal in Italy, [7] "Berlusconi Faces New Criminal Probe in Italy".
paying a person under 18 for sex is a crime Newsweek. 14 January 2011.
punishable by up to three years imprisonment. http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/14/more-
heat-for-berlusconi.html.
References [8] Nick Squires (2011-03-06). "The aging ’pimps’ at the
heart of the Berlusconi scandal". The Daily
[1] ^ Faris, Stephan (14 January 2011). "Did Italy’s Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/
Berlusconi Pay for Sex?". Time. worldnews/silvio-berlusconi/8363608/The-aging-
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ pimps-at-the-heart-of-the-Berlusconi-
0,8599,2042595,00.html. Retrieved 22 January 2011. scandal.html.
[2] Walston, James. "Why Silvio Berlusconi is still [9] "Silvio Berlusconi sent for trial accused of paying
standing". Daily Telegraph. UK. for sex with teenager". The Guardian. 15 February
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/
europe/italy/8114902/Why-Silvio-Berlusconi-is- 15/silvio-berlusconi-trial-teenage-sex. Retrieved
still-standing.html. Retrieved 22 January 2011. 15 February 2011.
[3] "Prosecutors send fresh evidence for Ruby case [10] "Silvio Berlusconi faces Ruby sex charge trial in
searches: Lombardy councillor at centre of scandal April". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
summoned". ANSA. 26 January 2011. world-europe-12083491. Retrieved 15 February
http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/ 2011.
english/2011/01/26/ [11] "Silvio Berlusconi underage sex trial begins". The
visualizza_new.html_1616141984.html. Guardian. April 6, 2011.
[4] Nick Pisa (19 February 2010). "Running for http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/06/
Parliament, the Italian showgirl who made Silvio silvio-berlusconi-sex-trial-begins. Retrieved April
Berlusconi smile again". Mail Online. 9, 2011.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/
article-1252163/Nicole-Minetti-showgirl-Silvio-
Berlusconi-smile-again.html.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi_underage_prostitution_charges"
Categories: 2010 in Italy, Political scandals in Italy, Political sex scandals
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