Italian Prosecutor: No Doubt Woman at Heart of Berlusconi Underage Sex Scandal Was a Prostitute

Ex-prime minister could face 15 years in prison, claims prosecution is politically motivated

Milan Prosecutor Ilda Boccassini told the trial into allegations ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage prostitute on Monday there was no doubt that the woman at the centre of the case sold her body. Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with Karima El Mahroug, a young Moroccan former nightclub dancer who went by the stage name 'Ruby Heartstealer', before she was 18 and of allegedly abusing his power in a bid to cover up the affair. "We have no doubt that Ruby prostituted herself," Boccassini said. El Mahroug and Berlusconi have both said they never had sex during several of the ex-premier's so-called Bunga Bunga parties while she was underage. As well as facing three years in jail for sex with an alleged underaged prostitute, Berlusconi could be sentenced to a further 12 years for abusing his position as premier to spring Ruby from a Milan police station, supposedly to avoid a diplomatic incident with Egypt.