A Milan appeals court upheld the October tax fraud conviction of former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, which carries a four year prison sentence. Wednesday’s appellate court ruling also upheld the lower court’s decision barring Mr. Berlusconi from public office for five years and from management of any company for three years.
Silvio Berlusconi, billionaire septuagenarian, football team owner, former Italian Prime Minister, Bunga-Bunga Party host, and one-time cruise ship crooner, was convicted in a wiretap leak trial and sentenced to a year in prison. Actually, under Italian law, old farts don’t have to serve sentences of under two years in prison. His 63-year-old kid brother Paolo, editor of Il Giornale, may not be so lucky; he was sentenced to two years and three months.
In the midst of an economic and social crisis that could ruin their country and all of Europe, Italians voted for professional comedian Beppe Grillo and aged laughing stock Silvio Berlusconi.
Italy’s billionaire ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to four years in prison.The sentence was later reduced to one year because he is rich old a TV station owner powerful Milanese sexy a soccer team owner entitled to this under some inexplicable but very Italian law. Martyn McLaughlin says Mr. B. wants to serve his time in a women’s prison, but the Washington Post‘s Max Fisher thinks he’ll avoid the pokey. Again.
The sentence includes a 10 million Euro fine and a prohibition on serving in public office. Mr. Berlusconi can well afford the fine, and had already announced that he won’t run for PM again. [Expressive Italian shrug goes here].
More:
“Processo Mediaset, 4 anni a Berlusconi Replica in tv : ‘Giudici da paese incivile,’” Antonio Castaldo, Courierre della Serra
“Frode fiscale sui diritti tv Mediaset Berlusconi condannato a 4 anni interdizione dai pubblici uffici per 5,” La Stampa
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The bribery case against former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was dismissed today in a Milan court. Mr. Berlusconi, a billionaire, stayed out of jail the same way Mafia chiefs do, by running out the clock. Unlike every other European country, Italy keeps the statutory limitation clock running during trials, so rich defendants just stall the proceedings, drawing their trials out until they reach the limit and the cases are thrown out of court.
After 17 colorful years, Silvio Berlusconi has stepped down as Italian Prime Minister, resigning in order to spend more quality time with his bunga-bunga parties. Mr. Berlusconi is now merely a private Italian citizen, third-richest man in Italy, and defendant in several lurid court cases.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is in the news again, but for his economic policies, not his romantic escapades. The Italian economy, third largest in Europe, is starting to tank. The P.M.’s allies are jumping ship, urging him to quit. “That Silvio Berlusconi is about to resign is clear. It is a question of hours, some say of minutes,” wrote one long-time friend. The Prime Minister issued a denial: “Le voci di mie dimissioni sono destituite di fondamento” (“The rumors of my resignation are groundless ”).
Silvio Berlusconi, third richest man in Italy, controls the country’s commercial television stations and newspapers and magazines. As PM, he controls RAI, the Italian government broadcasting network. So how did Mr. Berlusconi make his defiant announcement?
Related:
“Quick Primer On Chances Of Italy Destroying The World Economy,” Seeking Alpha
“Politicans and Business Close Ranks Against Berlusconi,” Fiona Ehlers, Spiegel Online
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi turned 75 yesterday. The AC Milan soccer team sent greetings to the embattled billionaire — he owns the franchise — but he got brickbats from most Italians. His biggest gift was a new sex scandal: former Miss Montenegro Katarina Knezevic says she had an affair with him.
“Coming from a politician who has previously likened himself to Napoleon and Jesus Christ, there was perhaps always going to be one answer when Silvio Berlusconi was asked what in the past he would change if given the chance.
’No, there’s nothing that I consider a real mistake,’ replied the Italian prime minister, who has suffered a draining away of political support in recent times as he fended off accusations of sleeping with teenage prostitutes and charges that his country’s economy is now heading for the rocks under his erratic stewardship.”
The good news: Silvio Berlusconi vowed to leave Italy.
The bad news: He didn’t say when.
Prime Minister Berlusconi made the statement in a phone conversation to his pimps, who were also blackmailing him. While his language was rather coarse, Mr. B. is no Rod Blagojevich.
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