Prosecutors Seek 5 Years Against Berlusconi

Published February 15, 2012 1:00PM (EST)

MILAN (AP) — Italian prosecutors have demanded a five-year prison sentence for former Premier Silvio Berlusconi in his trial on corruption charges.

Prosecutor Fabio De Pasquale on Wednesday urged the court to find Berlusconi guilty of having paid a British lawyer $600,000 to lie in other trials involving charges of tax evasion and false accounting related to the billionaire media mogul's business dealings.

The court is racing toward a verdict before the charges expire due to the statute of limitations. De Pasquale calculated that would happen by mid-July.

This is one of several cases pending against Berlusconi in Milan courts, including a trial on charges of having paid for sex with an underage prostitute.

Berlusconi stepped down in November after failing to persuade investors he could revive the ailing economy.


By Salon Staff

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