Rome, January 18: More evidence has surfaced indicating Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s involvement in numerous sexual affairs with young prostitutes.
“A significant number of young girls prostituted themselves with Silvio Berlusconi in his residences in exchange for sums of money,” AFP quoted Milan’s chief prosecutor, Edmondo Bruti Liberati, as saying on Monday.
Bruti Liberati added that the Italian prime minister gave gifts and cash to many women, including Karima El Mahroug — a Moroccan teenager nicknamed as Ruby.
The prosecutor claims to have obtained ample documents showing Berlusconi hooked up with many women in his luxury apartments.
Italian prosecutors now want the parliament to authorize a search of some of Berlusconi’s properties on the outskirts of Milan. The request was posted on parliament’s website on Monday after being made on Friday.
The 74-year-old Berlusconi is already under investigation following accusations that he engaged in sexual relations with Ruby, who was under-aged at the time.
Prosecutors are trying to find whether the premier paid and engaged in sexual activity with the Moroccan nightclub worker, between February and May 2010, when the girl was reportedly no more than 17 years of age.
The probe also covers claims that Berlusconi abused his power to secure Ruby’s release, when she was being questioned over theft allegations.
The Italian prime minister is accused of exerting pressure on the Italian police to cover up his relationship with the young prostitute.
Ruby has told newspapers she was paid EUR 7,000 after she attended a party at Berlusconi’s residence near Milan last year.
Berlusconi has been grappled with a string of sex and corruption scandals since he came to power in 2008.
——–Agencies