Rome, Aug 2 (ANI): Silvio Berlusconi has been struck with yet another controversy after a businessman linked to a 2009 prostitution case was arrested on suspicion of extorting hundreds of thousands of euros from the Italian Prime Minister.
The Scotsman quoted prosecutors as saying that Giampaolo Tarantini, an entrepreneur from Bari, and his wife, Angela Devenuto, were arrested yesterday after payments from Berlusconi totalling as much as half a million euros were uncovered by investigators.
The accused had admitted to have paid a prostitute, and other women to attend parties at Berlusconi's residences, but the controversial prime minister denied that the payments to Tarantini were due to extortion, insisting that he had in fact helped a needy family.
"I helped someone and a family with children who found themselves and continue to find themselves in very serious financial difficulty. I didn't do anything illegal, I limited myself to helping a desperate man without asking for anything in exchange. That's how I'm made and nothing will change that," the paper quoted Berlusconi, as saying.
A warrant was also issued for another man, Valter Lavitola, who prosecutors said was a consultant linked to defence and aerospace group Finmeccanica.
The arrests return the spotlight to a prostitution scandal which dominated headlines in 2009 when Patrizia D'Addario, an escort connected with Mr Tarantini, claimed to have been paid to attend parties at Mr Berlusconi's private residence in Rome.
Tarantini is currently under investigation in Bari for allegedly aiding and abetting prostitution. (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
