Berlusconi Goes on Vacation, Gets COVID-19

Berlusconi in Sardinia

Billionaire octagenarian, former football team owner, Bunga-Bunga Party host, one-time cruise ship crooner, Trump-before-Trump, and disgraced 3-time former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi went to Sardinia with all the other oligarchs and contracted Coronavirus.

More:

“Silvio Berlusconi admitted to hospital with coronavirus,” Angela Giuffrida, The Guardian

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Image (“Pasha Berlusconi and His Harem, after François Gabriel Lepaulle”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Berlusconi’s Back. Europe Shrugs.

Billionaire octagenarian, former football team owner, Bunga-Bunga Party host, one-time cruise ship crooner and disgraced 3-time former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, forced out of the Italian Senate over his 2013 tax-fraud conviction, has started serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Madonna Mia!

More:

“Forget the tax fraud and sex scandals. Italy’s Berlusconi is back.” Kevin Sullivan, Washington Post

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Image (“Pasha Berlusconi and His Harem, after François Gabriel Lepaulle”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Berlusconi: Not Guilty in Teen-Sex-for-Hire Case

Billionaire septuagenarian, football team owner, Bunga-Bunga Party host, one-time cruise ship crooner and disgraced 3-time former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been acquitted of having sex with an underage prostitute, This decision by an Italian appeals court cancels the penalties of the sentence, 7 years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics. But don’t look for Mr. Berlusconi in Parliament just yet. He was expelled from the Italian Senate due to an earlier tax fraud conviction, so it looks like the Italian Government will remain Berlusconi-free for the foreseeable future.

More:

“Berlusconi Underage Sex Conviction Overturned By Italian Court,” Scott Neuman, NPR

“Italy appeals court clears Berlusconi in sex trial,” Ilaria Polleschi and Silvia Aloisi, Reuters via Chicago Tribune

“‘Bunga bunga’ showgirl incredulous at Silvio Berlusconi’s acquittal,” Nick Squires, Daily Telegraph

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Image (“Berlusconi Seraglio, after Fernand Cormon”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Silvio Berlusconi Returns to Private Life

The Italian Senate expelled billionaire septuagenarian, football team owner, Bunga-Bunga Party host, one-time cruise ship crooner and disgraced 3-time former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from membership last week so he could spend more time with his attorneys and under-aged females. The proximate cause: Mr. Berlusconi’s recent tax fraud conviction. For the first time in two decades, the Italian Government is Berlusconi-free.

Private Citizen Berlusconi has problems. There are new charges that he and his lawyers paid off trial witnesses to his notorious “bunga bunga” sex parties. The 77-year- old’s 28-year-old showgirl girlfriend has appealed to that great champion of morally challenged billionaires, Pope Francis, to clear Silvio’s name.

Update:

“Berlusconi, The Perils of Not Knowing When to Say Goodbye,” Marcello Sorgi, La Stampa via Worldcrunch

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Image (“Berlusconi Seraglio, after Fernand Cormon”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Berlusconi: Guilty, Guilty, Guilty.

Appearing on television after an appeals court upheld his conviction on abuse of office  sex offences  bribery tax fraud, one of his many convictions, billionaire septuagenarian, football team owner, Bunga-Bunga Party host, one-time cruise ship crooner and disgraced former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi claimed he is being harassed by vengeful political enemies:

“Today’s sentence confirmed my belief that a part of the judicial authorities has become irresponsible”

“I have never been anyone’s silent partner, I have never devised any system of fiscal fraud, there have never been false invoices in the history of Mediaset, just like there are no hidden funds abroad that are linked to me or my family.”

“In exchange for the commitments I have made for my country over almost 20 years and now as I am coming to the end of my public life, I have been rewarded with accusations and a verdict that is founded on absolutely nothing, that takes away my personal freedom and my political rights.”

“Is this the Italy that we want? Is this the Italy that we love? Absolutely not.”

Uh huh.

Berlusconi: Guilty

On Monday a Milan court found Silvio Berlusconi — billionaire septuagenarian, football team owner, former Italian Prime Minister, Bunga-Bunga Party host, and one-time cruise ship crooner —  guilty of having sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his public office in an attempt to cover it up. Mr. Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in prison and banned from public office for life. He recently lost an appeal of an earlier tax fraud conviction.

Mr. Berlusconi, owner of a vast media empire, insisted that he is innocent — on his Facebook page.

More:

“Berlusconi Is Sentenced to Seven Years in Sex Case, but Can Still Appeal Verdict,” Rachel Donadio and Elisabetta Poveledo, New York Times

“Berlusconi: ‘Sentenza violenta, io resisto alla persecuzione,'” ANSA

“Processo Ruby, condannato Silvio Berlusconi. 7 anni e interdizione perpetua dai pubblici uffici,” La Repubblica 

Update:

“Berlusconi, The End Is Near,” Marcello Sorgi, La Stampa via Worldcrunch

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Berlusconi Big House Bound?

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.

Berlusconi Big House Bound?

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.

Italy: Send in the Clowns

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.

Berlusconi: Big House Bound?

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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