HE was the scandalous world chief whose notorious “Bunga Bunga” events overshadowed his political profession.
Now tributes are pouring for former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has died at the age of 89 following a prolonged battle with leukemia.
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The billionaire media mogul, whose health worsened after being rushed to hospital on Friday, was elected PM 4 occasions in a profession that spanned three a long time and even noticed him personal the football club AC Milan.
Shortly earlier than his dying, Berlusconi was listed because the third-wealthiest individual in Italy, value a whopping $6.8billion (£5.4billion).
However his private achievements have been mired with controversy after revelations about his ‘bunga bunga’ parties emerged.
Now we glance again on the scandal that ruined his political profession, led to considered one of Italy’s most sensational trials and briefly landed him in jail.
‘Bunga bunga events’
The notorious “bunga bunga” events got here to mild again in 2010 and have been a time period coined by Berlusconi’s political rivals.
They referred to lavish occasions on the former PM’s palatial villa in Arcore, wherein the politician was alleged to have had orgies with prostitutes and younger ladies attempting to interrupt into present enterprise.
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The events have been found after Berlusconi instructed police to launch a 17-year-old named Karima el-Mahroug, who was accused of stealing a $3,000 bracelet in 2010.
The politician lied to officers and informed them over the telephone that the teenager was the niece of ex-Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
In actuality, Karima was a prostitute and Moroccan nightclub dancer, who operated below the pseudonym ‘Ruby the Coronary heart Stealer’.
Berlusconi’s attorneys would declare that he intervened as a result of he feared police would uncover she had attended his ‘bunga bunga’ events whereas underage.
However the PM’s intervention in her arrest led to the X-rated secret soirees being uncovered.
‘Impressed by Gaddafi’
Karima supplied the primary perception into the events, with the teenager telling police that she was first launched to them by Berlusconi on Valentine’s Day in 2010.
The chief despatched a limo to her residence to escort her to his personal mansion, the place she claimed to have been informed the inspiration for his ‘bunga bunga’ events got here from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
She claimed the evenings “consisted of a harem” and “the women take their garments off and have to supply bodily pleasures”.
Berlusconi by no means denied internet hosting lavish events however insisted they have been “convivial” dinners with meals and laughter that ended with him giving the women cash as a result of he was “beneficiant”.
However prosecutors would uncover greater than 33 ladies had attended these events and lots of have been starlets, who hoped to interrupt into showbusiness by way of one of many chief’s TV channels in change for sexual favours.
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Prosecutors defined that it started with a proper meal with meals served within the colors of the Italian flag – crimson, white and inexperienced – earlier than progressing to the ‘bunga bunga’ session in a “disco-like room”.
The ladies defined these occasions began with them stripping off, partaking in sexually provocative acts and later ended with Berlusconi paying to have intercourse with one or a number of of them.
They mentioned: “Feminine contributors engaged in dressing up, striptease and erotic dances, touching one another or touching and being touched of their intimate components by Silvio Berlusconi.”
These chosen for “the evening in an intimate relationship” have been paid with cash, costly presents and rent-free lodging.
Intercourse acts on statue
Essentially the most damning testimonies concerning the events got here from Ambra Battilana and Chiara Danese, two ladies who had been promised jobs on TV in change for his or her participation.
Recalling the occasions, Ambra claimed a few of the ladies “uncovered their breasts providing them to Berlusconi so he might kiss them” inside quarter-hour of it beginning.
She added: “In addition they touched the prime minister’s intimate components and made him contact theirs.”
Ambra alleged that Berlusconi referred to as the ladies “my little ladies” they usually referred to him as “Papi” and sang “thank goodness for Silvio”.
Chiara revealed the chief would make “obscene jokes” all through the events and ask the women: “Are you prepared for bunga bunga?”
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She says he would then convey out a statue of a person, described as the dimensions of a half-litre water bottle, that had “an enormous penis” that was “disproportionately large”.
Chiara added: “Berlusconi begins passing it round among the many ladies. And he asks them to kiss the penis.
“They kiss it and simulate oral intercourse with it, or they method him with bared breasts. All of them snigger.”
Obama masks stripteases
Italian police found extra after wiretapping the telephones of ladies, who had attended the events, together with discovering out about “hard-core” strip teases.
Attendee Maria Makdoum mentioned: “The opposite ladies additionally danced, displaying their breasts and their bottoms they usually all went close to the prime minister who touched them of their intimate components.”
One other leaked transcript appeared to point out TV persona Dario ‘Lele’ Mora – considered one of many alleged to have been a part of Berlusconi’s “huge pimping community” – arranging for prostitutes to attend the soirees.
In a single recording, he informed a girl: “Do you may have a nurse’s outfit? Go get one at this time.”
Mora additionally instructed her to put on nothing beneath the clothes aside from white suspenders for a “personal well being go to”.
Embarrassingly for Berlusconi, who tried to domesticate a macho self-image all through his life, the ladies have been lower than flattering about his look.
Leaked recordings heard the ladies describe Berlusconi as previous, fats and flabby, in addition to stating that he ought to pay extra money in any other case they might steal from his home.
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At Berlusconi’s trial, Imane Fadil – who died mysteriously in 2019 – described how some ladies carry out risque pole dance routines in varied costumes.
Throughout these dances, the ladies described being instructed to put on nuns outfits in addition to masks of well-known folks together with Barack Obama, Ronaldinho and the prosecutor investigating the politician.
‘$5m for silence’
Karima, whose arrest introduced the scandal to mild, testified that the ‘bunga bunga’ events quickly rapidly descended into orgies amongst female and male visitors.
In the course of the trial, she insisted that the previous PM had not slept together with her and praised him for appearing responsibly together with her.
Karima mentioned: “It’s the primary time in my life {that a} man has not tried to take me to mattress. He behaved like a father, I swear.”
She was paid $7,000 after the 2010 Valentine’s Day celebration, which occurred whereas she was underage at 17 years previous, and shortly her testimony was challenged.
In leaked recordings, Karima was heard telling associates that she demanded $5million in change for her silence and that the chief had supplied to “cowl her in gold” to maintain her quiet.
Police wiretaps revealed Karima attended Berlusconi’s villa 13 occasions between February and Might 2010.
In 2013, Berlusconi was discovered responsible of paying for intercourse with an underage prostitute and abusing his workplace.
He was sentenced to seven years in jail and banned from holding public workplace for all times however was launched one 12 months later after interesting his conviction.
Berlusconi’s dying adopted his well being deteriorating final month after creating a lung an infection whereas battling leukaemia.
He had the situation “for a while” and was reportedly awaiting the outcomes of a blood most cancers prognosis.
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