Daily Mail:

Silvio Berlusconi traded luxury apartments for sex with string of prostitutes, Italian prosecutors claim

By Nick Pisa
Last updated at 9:03 AM on 18th January 2011

Under pressure Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had sex with ''a significant number of young women in exchange for money,'' sensational court documents revealed.

The details emerged in a prosecutor's request to search several properties owned by Berlusconi, 74, which which were lived in by the women who were paid vast sums of money and given jewellery by him.

Also revealed was a conversation between belly dancer Karima El Mouhrag, 18, who was invited to Berlusconi's house and a friend, in which she told how she had asked the media tycoon for five million Euro to keep quiet.

In an interview Ruby said she had been given a diamond necklace, 7,000 euros and an Audi by Mr Berlusconi who said he 'felt sorry' for her as she told him her life story

Prosecutors began their investigation last year after it emerged that Karima, was only 17 when she was invited to the infamous ''bunga bunga'' sex games party he threw.

Both have denied ever having sex - with Berlusconi describing the claims as absurd and unfounded - but the release of the documents put him under increasing pressure.

They showed how several girls had been invited to his home to have sex for money and among them were amazing telephone interceptions between those involved.

One transcript from a girl, who was not named, read:''You either do everything or you take a taxi and leave. It's a real whorehouse there Berlusconi is touching all the girls bottoms. It's worse than the papers say.''

Scandal: Italian Noemi Laetizia (left) is one of a string of young women linked with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (right)

Another said:''If you do these things in your own bedroom fine but in front of everyone else - I ask how (he) can you go to work the next day ?''

Karima, who was just 17, when she went to Berlusconi's parties, is heard telling a friend: ''My case is the one that is shocking everyone. I called Silvio and said: "I want something out of this five million.

''Five million compared to what is happened to my name. He said to me he would give me all the money I wanted but the important thing was to keep quiet, hide everything and say nothing.'''

Prosecutors are investigating Berlusconi over claims that he had sex with under age prostitutes and that he put pressure on a police officer to release Karima after she was arrested for theft.

Berlusconi is said to have called the police station in Milan where she was being held and ordered her release because wrongly claiming she was the ''grand daughter of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.''

Berlusconi has been a magnet for scandals involving women. Here he is in 2004 with two unidentified females

String of women: Venezuelan actress Aida Yespica (left) who Berlusconi told 'I'd follow you anywhere' and Italian escort girl Patrizia D'Addario (right) who was also linked to the Italian Prime Minister

On Sunday Berlusconi appeared on Italian TV to deny the claims and insisted they could not be true because he was ''in a stable relationship with another woman'' who would not have approved.

The details emerged from the documents after they were posted on the Italian parliament website as they had to ask permission as Berlusconi has immunity as an MP.

Berlusconi's long suffering wife Veronica is divorcing him after it emerged two years ago he had been at the 18th birthday party of an underwear model called Noemi Letizia.

Announcing the split she said:''i CAN NO longer be with a man who is ill and who associates himself with minors.'

Prosecutors want Berlusconi to present himself for questioning and are pushing for fast track trial and he has said that he is willing to speak to them in order to prove his innocence.

Political analysts said the growing scandal could push Italy towards a fresh election ahead of the one scheduled for 2013 and just a month after Berlusconi won a crucial double com confidence vote.