Epress.am News from Armenia
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 75, is accused of having sexual relations with belly dancer Karima El Mahroug at one of the evenings he hosted at his lavish villa and at the time she was just 17 years old.
El Mahroug was one of 33 women who attended the parties and at which it is claimed — among other things — that they dressed as nuns and police officers to perform seductive pole dances and stripteases.
It has now emerged Berlusconi was named in this year’s US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons 2011 report which details the parties and describes how one of the guests was a minor, The Telegraph reports.
“In February 2011, judges set a trial date for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for the alleged commercial sexual exploitation of a Moroccan child, media reports include indicate evidence of third party involvement in the case, indicating the girl was a victim of trafficking,” the report said.
It goes on to say about him: “During the reporting period, the country’s (Italy) prime minister was investigated for facilitating child prostitution.”
Prosecutors in Milan have charged three of Berlusconi’s closest friends with procuring prostitutes for his parties and this relates to presence of El Mahroug — who calls herself Ruby the Heartstealer — at the parties which were held at his lavish villa at Arcore near Milan.
The US State Department report is put together every year and draws from reports from 180 countries across the world as well as NGOs who help compile case histories and investigations which are detailed in the document.
Berlusconi’s trial for underage prostitution is due to resume in Milan next month and at the same hearing he has also been accused of abuse of office. Both he and El Mahroug deny any wrong-doing.