Sydney, May 9 (ANI): An Italian court has upheld a tax fraud conviction for former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, confirming his sentence of one year in prison and a five-year ban from public office.
Berlusconi's defence lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said they knew it would go like this, and added that there is no a connection between the verdict and political stability, reports News.com.au.
Berlusconi is now expected to appeal the ruling in Italy's highest court, which would suspend the punishment pending a final ruling in the case, which revolves around the prices of film distribution rights bought by Mediaset that were artificially inflated in order to avoid taxes.
The media tycoon is also a defendant in a trial for having sex with an underage 17-year-old prostitute while he was still prime minister, and then abusing the powers of his office by putting pressure on police to release her from custody.
A verdict in that case is expected imminently.
The 76-year-old was also convicted in March over the publication of police wiretap transcripts in a newspaper he owns, which were leaked in order to discredit a political rival.
Berlusconi has been convicted before but all his convictions have either been overturned on appeal or have expired under the statute of limitations. (ANI)
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