The man who spearheaded Silvio Berlusconi's entry into politics was also an intermediary between the media magnate and the Sicilian mafia, judges in Palermo ruled last night.
In a lengthy written judgment on one of the Italian prime minister's closest associates, the judges said that before entering politics Berlusconi paid "enormous sums of money" to Cosa Nostra for protection and later handed over funds to safeguard his network's relay stations on Sicily.
Their conclusions dealt a stunning blow to Berlusconi, and came as reports surfaced that one of his ministers was planning to step down. Maria Carfagna, the 34-year-old former topless model turned equal opportunities minister, failed to deny the reports after they began to circulate. More...
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