07 June,2011 07:37 AM IST | | Agencies
Reports suggest Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi still staging his so-called sex parties despite being on trial for paying for underage sex
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is still holding his 'bunga bunga' parties despite being on trial for sex with an underage prostitute, it has emerged.
The details were revealed in a series of leaked wire taps between Grand Prix chief Flavio Briatore and friends which form part of a separate investigation and have been passed onto Berlusconi prosecutors.
The wiretaps reveal that bunga bunga parties organised by Italian PM Berlusconi have moved to a new property. Berlusconi also faces charges of abusing power when he paid officials to keep Karima'su00a0age under wraps
According to the wire taps between London-based Briatore and his friends, the billionaire media tycoon has switched the venue from his villa at Arcore near Milan, to another property he owns a few miles away.
The phrase 'bunga bunga' is said to refer to a crude after dinner sex games that place at the parties Berlusconi hosted at Arcore.
Prosecutors say the women were given money and jewellery by Berlusconi in return for sexual favours and among them was exotic belly dancer Karima el-Mahroug who at the time was just 17-years-old.
Investigators passed on details of the new events at Berlusconi's Villa Gernetto after stumbling across them during a tax probe into Briatore's yacht Force Blue which was seized by revenue chiefs last year.
Prosecutors in the port of Genoa investigating Briatore have passed the wire taps between the racing chief and his friends, onto colleagues in Milan involved in the bunga bunga case.
Details of the conversations between Briatore and his friends were leaked which reveal how Berlusconi is still partying but at the Villa Gernetto venue.
The house serves as headquarters of University of Freedom which is linked to his People of Freedom partly and is also used by visiting VIPs.
A newspaper said that "although no new crimes have emerged from the wiretaps the conversations would certainly seem to to confirm the prosecution scenario".
Briatore's lawyer, Massimo Pellicciotta, said, "I find it absurd that a newspaper has revealed wiretaps before an investigation has even formally closed."
While in a statement Berlusconi's lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said, "This article which says parties have been organised at Villa Gernetto is completely without foundation.
It should be noted that these telephone calls, if they exist, are recordings that this newspaper has in violation of the investigation and which the defence are not even aware of."
He added, "In spite of this is should be noted that at Villa Gernetto no parties were ever organised but instead, as can be proved by documentation there have been numerous events between foreign and Italian political visitors."
His trial is set to resume later in the week and although he has insisted he will attend hearings to clear his name so far he has not appeared in court and has already said he will not be at the next session. ufffd Agencies
Did you know?
The age of consent in Italy is 14 but paying for sex with a woman under 18 is seen as under age prostitution and punishable by up to three years in jail.
Bunga Bunga
The phrase bunga bunga refers to crude after dinner sex games
