Berlusconi spends Sh3.9bn on luxuries
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi spent 675,000 euros on a castle he rents in northern Italy and 900,000 euros on gas and electricity bills at his Caribbean home in tax haven Antigua, as well as 650,000 euros at antiques shops and art galleries. Photo/FILE
ROME, Wednesday
From jewels and antiques to loans for young starlets, Italy’s billionaire Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi spent 34 million euros (Sh3.9 billion) in 2010, an Italian newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The 74-year old premier splashed out 120,000 euros (Sh13.9 million) on ties and another 65,000 euros on jewels, according to details from a bank account examined during a probe into his alleged relations with an underage prostitute.
The mogul also spent 675,000 euros on a castle he rents in northern Italy and 900,000 euros on gas and electricity bills at his Caribbean home in tax haven Antigua, as well as 650,000 euros at antiques shops and art galleries.
As the investigation unfolded into Ruby the Heart Stealer, the exotic young pole dancer at the heart of a sex scandal set to land Berlusconi in the dock in April, a host of would-be showgirls claimed he had showered them with gifts.
According to details of the account published by Corriere della Sera, the romancing prime minister gave 562,000 euros (Sh65m) to 14 young women last year, as well as 40,000 euros (Sh4.6m) as a wedding gift to one of his secretaries.
The mother of Noemi Letizia — the teenage model whose rumoured ties with Berlusconi caused his wife to file for divorce — received 20,000 euros.
Letizia has defended Berlusconi and says she used to call him “Papi”. Mr Berlusconi’s lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said the publication of details of the account was “a clear violation of privacy” and denied he had received 441,000 euros mentioned in the report as part of hefty legal fees for Mr Berlusconi.
