Women paid to have sex with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi dressed in nurse and police uniforms and performed stripteases at parties, it was claimed today.
The damaging allegations emerged in court documents which are part of a probe into Berlusconi, 74, looking at charges of extortion and using underaged prostitutes.
ome women even put on a 'lesbian' show for him and his cronies.
Former dental hygienist Nicole Minetti, now a local politician representing his party, is named as a recruiter of the girls.
According to a telephone tap transcript in the paperwork, a former police officer is heard saying: 'Minetti was there with her chest out kissing Berlusconi continuously. It was a real whorehouse. All the girls were given rings and necklaces.'
As the sordid details dominated Italian newspapers and TV news bulletins, even the Catholic Church stepped in with the official newspaper Avvenire saying it was 'wounded and shocked.'
Minetti, a former showgirl, helped restore Berlusconi's smile - literally - after he was struck in the face at a political rally with a marble statue, breaking two of his teeth.
She was his dental hygienist, and she swiftly made the move into politics by joing his People Of Freedome party, scoring a seat in Lombardy's regional parliament.
For almost two years Berlusconi has been involved in a series of sleazy sex scandals but the latest revelations have been the worst yet as sordid details of his infamous 'bunga bunga' parties emerge.
 |
| Berlusconi facing political death |
The perma tanned politician regularly hosted parties at his residences in Milan, Rome and on the island of Sardinia at which high class escorts and wannabe TV starlets were guests.
In the 400-page document, it is claimed the girls would stroke themselves up and down Berlusconi and allow themselves to be touched, acting provocatively and vulgarly.
It went on to describe how there were wardrobes with varying uniforms which the women would put on to carry out stripteases and how they would dance seductively, semi-naked, lesbian style.
A significant number of women were involved in the parties and they were paid and given gifts, with the prosecution documents detailing rivalry between them as those who stayed the night with Berlusconi were paid more.
Prosecutors are investigating Berlusconi after questioning belly dancer Karima El Mahroug, 18, who was a guest at a party last year when she was still only 17.
They claim that sex took place with other underage girls and that Berlusconi also used his position as prime minister to put pressure on police to release Karima when she was arrested for theft last May.
Berlusconi is said to have personally called the police station in Milan and wrongly said she was the grand daughter of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and should be released so as to avoid diplomatic embarrassment.
Both of them deny having sex but prosecutors have a telephone intercept in which Karima is heard telling a friend: 'I told Silvio i wanted five million Euro for all this.'
She adds: 'he told me he would pay me all I wanted, in gold, but that I should just keeping making things up and pretend I'm mad but not reveal anything and stay quiet.'
Berlusconi's long suffering wife Veronica is divorcing him after it emerged two years ago he had been at the 18th birthday party of an underwear model called Noemi Letizia.
Announcing the split she said:''I can longer be with a man who is ill and who associates himself with minors.'
Prosecutors want Berlusconi to present himself for questioning and are pushing for fast track trial and he has said that he is willing to speak to them in order to prove his innocence.
Political analysts said the growing scandal could push Italy towards a fresh election ahead of the one scheduled for 2013 and just a month after Berlusconi won a crucial double no confidence vote.
Berlusconi denies all the charges, insisting that he has been in a stable relationship since the split from his wife.
Courtesy Daily Mail, UK |
E-mail
