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(Image source: Wikimedia Commons / European People's Party)
BY CANDICE AVILES
Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi
has been sentenced to seven years in prison, guilty of these two charges....
"Guilty on having paid for sex with an underage *** and guilty of abusing the prime
ministerial powers at the time." (Via BBC)
The *** is known as "Ruby the Heart Stealer" who was just 17 years old at the
time of the 2010 sex scandal. And 76-year-old Berlusconi allegedly abused his power by pressuring
police to release Ruby from custody at another time. (Via The Telegraph)
The Telegraph reports an investigation into the prime minister's now infamous "bunga bunga"
parties held at his luxury mansion in Milan, led to the discovery of photos like this this
on laptops and cameras.
The BBC calls this seven-year prison sentence a huge, humiliating blow to Berlusconi. He
was also barred from holding office. But Al Jazeera reports he will not go to jail because
of a rule he created.
"He himself passed a rule barring jail sentences for people over 70 years old this was specifically
for a colleague of his, in his cabinet that was convicted."
In addition to that, he also has the chance to appeal the ruling. "Whatever the outcome,
no sentence will be enforced until the appeals process has been exhausted — a lengthy process
which can take years in Italy's famously complex justice system."
Berlusconi has denied all the charges.