The trials and tribulations of Silvio

Italy’s former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi leaves a Milan court after the first of several hearings scheduled for the next few days and throughout December.

After his resignation last week, the media mogul turned politician faces three charges, one of under age sex, a second for fraud, and a third for bribery.

No longer premier, Berlusconi has lost many of his immunity rights which allowed him to avoid court. Now out of office, lawyers are queuing up to get their teeth into issues such as whether he paid exotic dancer Ruby for sex when she was under 18 at one of his bunga bunga parties.

Yesterday’s hearing concerned fraud allegations at his Mediaset TV company. He is accused of paying over the odds for film rights for Mediaset and channelling the excess cash back into his own accounts to reduce his tax liabilities.

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