Silvio Berlusconi tax fraud conviction upheld by Milan court

Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi’s conviction for tax fraud has been upheld by an appeals court in Milan.

The court also reinstated a four-year prison sentence and five-year ban from public office Silvio Berlusconi was handed in October.

Silvio Berlusconi was convicted of artificially inflating prices of film distribution rights bought by his company, Mediaset, to avoid taxes.

He is now expected to appeal against Wednesday’s ruling at Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.

Silvio Berlusconi, 76, has denied the charges and said they are politically motivated.

But instead of overturning October’s verdict, the Milan appeals court on Wednesday upheld his conviction for tax evasion and re-instated the original jail sentence. The four-year term had been cut to one year by a lower court because of his age.

Silvio Berlusconi’s conviction for tax fraud has been upheld by an appeals court in Milan

“We knew it would go like this,” Silvio Berlusconi’s defense lawyer Niccolo Ghedini told reporters.

There is however no real prospect of Silvio Berlusconi being jailed, as he will exercise his right to appeal and the case will actually soon expire under a time limit.

Nevertheless, this is another major legal blow for Silvio Berlusconi, whose People of Freedom (PdL) party is part of Italy’s new coalition government.

In the eyes of the law Silvio Berlusconi is a convicted fraudster, but he will argue as he always does that all his legal troubles are the simply the work of his political enemies – left-wing elements in the judiciary.

In March, silvio Berlusconi was sentenced to a year in jail after being convicted of arranging for a police wiretap concerning a political rival to be leaked and published in a newspaper run by his brother. He denied the charges and is expected to appeal.

Silvio Berlusconi is also currently on trial for allegedly paying for sex with an underage prostitute, and later abusing his powers by putting pressure on the police to release her from custody. He has admitted sending her money, but insists the funds were meant as a gift.

In other trials over the years, Silvio Berlusconi has been accused of charges including accounting fraud, perjury, bribery and corruption. He has denied all the accusations against him and has either been acquitted or let off under statutes of limitations.

Silvio Berlusconi’s trials:

  • Accused of paying for sex with an underage prostitute: Verdict due
  • Convicted and sentenced to a year in jail for arranging leak of police wiretap
  • Accused of tax fraud over deals his firm Mediaset made to purchase TV rights to US films: Convicted in October 2012; Sentence upheld by appeals court in May
  • Two other corruption cases involving tax evasion and bribery of a British lawyer: Expired under statute of limitations
_Szu9o_NfUg
Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.

Recent Posts

UCLA Protests: Police Clash with Protesters as Officers Clear Pro-Palestinian Encampment

President Joe Biden has urged pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses to uphold the rule of…

8 hours ago

Mufasa: Blue Ivy Carter Joins Voice Cast of The Lion King Prequel

Blue Ivy Carter has joined the voice cast of The Lion King prequel Mufasa: The…

9 hours ago

Deadly Tornadoes Hit Oklahoma Leaving Thousands Without Power and Causing Serious Damage

At least five people, including a four-month-old baby, have been killed after dozens of tornadoes…

3 days ago

Harvey Weinstein in Hospital After Conviction Overturned

Harvey Weinstein has been hospitalized just days after his 2020 rape conviction in New York…

5 days ago

Hamas Releases Video of Two Hostages, Including a Kidnapped US Citizen

Hamas has published a video showing the first proof of life of US and Israeli…

5 days ago

Trump Trial: Prosecutors and Attorneys Deliver Opening Statements

Prosecutors and Donald Trump’s attorneys delivered opening statements and the first witness was called on…

1 week ago