Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi used women as ‘sex slaves’ when he threw his infamous wild ‘bunga bunga’ parties at his villa during his time in office, a court has heard.
Media tycoon Berlusconi, 85, who was premier three times and met Tony Blair several times as well as Russian president Vladimir Putin, was also said to have had sex with a teenage Moroccan belly dancer who was one of his guests.
He is currently on trial accused of paying off the girls with bribes so they would not inform authorities about the parties, which would have led to him being impeached and run out of office.
Berlusconi always called the parties ‘innocent and elegant affairs’ but witnesses have spoken of wild orgies with female guests dressing as nuns and performing erotic dances for Berlusconi and his cronies.
Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi used women as ‘sex slaves’ when he threw his infamous wild ‘bunga bunga’ parties at his villa during his time in office, a court has heard
Media tycoon Berlusconi, 85, who was premier three times and met Tony Blair several times as well as Russian president Vladimir Putin, was said to have had sex with a teenage Moroccan belly dancer Karima El-Mahroug, known as ‘Ruby the Heartstealer’ (pictured)
There was outrage in Italy last year at the prospect of the disgraced, scandal-ridden former PM becoming head of state – something which never materialised (pictured: protestors hold placards which read ‘The Quirinale (Rome’s presidential palace) is not for bunga bunga’ in reference to Berlusconi’s infamous sex parties
The stop-start trial has been going on in Milan for eight years with frequent halts to Berlusconi’s ill health and the sudden death of one of the key witnesses, model Imane Fadil.
In 2013 Berlusconi had originally been found guilty of paying to have sex with Karima El-Mahroug, the Moroccan belly dancer, who was also known as Ruby The Heartstealer.
She was just 17 at the time of the parties and considered a minor under Italian law – Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in jail but the following year the verdict was overturned on appeal after his lawyers successfully argued there was no proof he had known of her real age.
His current trial stems from the 2013 trial after it was claimed witnesses had been paid off to keep silent.
In her summing up prosecutor Tiziana Siciliano said: ‘The facts have been handed down to history by now, the serving premier was wont to systematically spice up his evening entertainments hosting in his home groups of odalisques, paid sex slaves.’
She added: ‘Berlusconi is the former friend of Putin and now an old man. He was a sultan in his own harem. A very rich and powerful man, a prime minister who accompanied himself with friends like Putin, who is now bringing the world to its knees.
‘He paid for the silence of witnesses with money, houses, cars and horses, every human commodity that you can imagine. What happened at the time at these parties was morally questionable and incredible.
‘A horrible violence which our era looks at in disgust, the detriment of very young girls, some even minors, without the tools to protect themselves from predators of all kinds.
‘Perhaps because I am a mother, I feel and I know that the youth must be protected.’
Ms Siciliano also mentioned the tragic death of Imane in 2019, who had testified against Berlusconi in his first trial and who had died suddenly at the age of just 33.
The stop-start trial has been going on in Milan for eight years with frequent halts to Berlusconi’s ill health and the sudden death of one of the key witnesses, model Imane Fadil (Berlusconi pictured speaking to media in December)
The phrase ‘bunga bunga’ came into popular culture ten years ago as investigations into Berlusconi’s wild parties began, and witnesses described how the former Italian PM (right) had been taught the phrase by former pal and Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (left)
Moroccan model Imane Fadil is pictured at a court in Milan, northern Italy, 13 November 2014. She was a key prosecution witness in the underage prostitute trials involving former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, but died suddenly at the age of 33
She said: ‘Imane was a beautiful and truly wounded girl who had been crushed by the system. She was afraid because she had perceived how dangerous and powerful the ride was that accompanied her until her death.
‘Imane however, had a deep desire for justice in the face of those crimes and we must never forget people like her.’
Prosecutors in Milan had initially opened an investigation into her death after she was found to have unusually high levels of the metals cadmium, chromium and antimony and there were fears she had been poisoned but a later autopsy ruled out foul play and her death was put down to severe illness.
The phrase ‘bunga bunga’ came into popular culture ten years ago as investigations into Berlusconi’s wild parties began, and witnesses described how the Italian PM had been taught the phrase by former pal and Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Berlusconi and his legal team deny all accusations of bribery and a verdict is expected later this month.
Earlier this year, Berlusconi celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ to a woman 53 years his junior.
Footage emerged in March of the 85-year-old enjoying a lavish ‘festival of love’ with 32-year-old Marta Fascina, an MP in his Forza Italia party, at a historic property called Villa Gernetto in the town of Lesmo, north of Milan.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 85, holds ‘symbolic wedding’ to his 32-year-old MP bride
In this image posted on Facebook in January, 85-year-old former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi (R) gazes into the eyes of 32-year-old Marta Fascina, an MP in his Forza Italia party, wishing her a happy birthday
It represents the latest declaration of love between Berlusconi and Fascina, after the former prime minister released photos of the pair gazing longingly at each other amid Fascina’s birthday celebrations in January.
The ceremony looked very much like a wedding, but the couple were not officially married because of an inheritance row between the families.
Berlusconi’s five adult children were believed to be outraged at their father’s intention to marry Fascina, which would have given her a claim to the 85-year-old’s fortune of over £5 billion.
Seemingly undeterred by health woes, sex scandals and advanced age, Berlusconi proceeded with the ceremony alongside his girlfriend, which was styled as a ‘festival of love’ rather than an official union.
Fascina is Berlusconi’s latest romantic conquest after he broke off his previous relationship with Francesca Pascale in 2020, who at the ripe age of 34 was simply too old for him.