Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, was known for his populist politics and his controversial personal life. One of the most infamous aspects of his personal life were the "bunga bunga" parties held at his Arcore villa near Milan.The "bunga bunga" parties came to light in 2010, when Berlusconi personally telephoned a police station seeking the release of a 17-year-old Moroccan girl, Karima El Mahroug, who had been arrested in Milan on suspicion of jewel theft.
Berlusconi wrongly told the police that she was a granddaughter or niece of Egypt's then-President Hosni Mubarak and her arrest risked a diplomatic incident. He later told the court that he believed that at the time.
It later emerged that the girl was a belly dancer and suspected prostitute who went under the name of Ruby Rubacuori - or in English, Ruby the Heart Stealer. She claimed to have received $10,000 (£8,000) from Berlusconi at the parties he held.
According to Ruby, the "bunga bunga" parties were orgies involving Berlusconi and numerous young women stripping off and performing the ritual. Many of the women attending the parties were apparently hoping to break into show business by appearing on one of the TV channels owned by Berlusconi.
The scandal surrounding the "bunga bunga" parties proved to be a lasting stain on Berlusconi's reputation. In 2013, he was found guilty of paying Ms Mahroug for sexual services while she was under the age of 18, but the verdict was later overturned on appeal. It was not until February 2023 that he was finally cleared of bribing witnesses to lie about the events.
The "bunga bunga" scandal was not the only sex scandal to surround Berlusconi during his time in public office. His second wife, Veronica Lario, divorced him in 2010 after accusing him of lying about his relationship with a teenager. He was also accused of having sex with an underage prostitute and of hosting sex parties at his official residence while he was Prime Minister.
These scandals reshaped Italian public life and brought attention to the issue of corruption and abuse of power. Berlusconi's personal life was often seen as a reflection of his political leadership, leading many to question his fitness to hold public office.
Despite the scandals, Berlusconi remained a prominent figure in Italian politics for many years. He served as Prime Minister four times and was known for his charismatic personality and populist appeal. However, his legacy will always be tainted by the scandals that surrounded him, particularly the "bunga bunga" parties that came to symbolize the excesses of his personal and political life.
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