Berlusconi accused of bribing 13 young women (2)

(ANSA) - Milan, January 27 - Former premier Silvio Berlusconi is suspected of paying money to at least 13 young women between April-June 2015 and November 2016 to keep quiet about the true nature of his so-called bunga bunga sex party in the so-called Ruby III case, as part of a probe carried out by Milan prosecutors Tiziana Siciliano and Luca Gaglio, investigative sources said on Friday. Berlusconi on Thursday was formally placed under investigation for allegedly bribing key witnesses in the case, including Elisa Toti, Aris Espinosa, Miriam Loddo and Giovanna Rigato, who are reportedly among the 13 women he is accused of paying in 2015 and 2016.
    The leader of the center-right Forza Italia (FI) party is accused of continuing to bribe the women with payments of up to 15,000 euros at a time, according to the prosecution, in part on the basis of on statements by Berlusconi's accountant Giuseppe Spinelli.
    In the case, last month Milan prosecutors requested the media mogul's indictment on charges of witness tampering.
    A preliminary hearings judge on October 19 indicted former exotic dancer Karima El Mahroug - stage name Ruby Heartstealer - and 22 others for corruption and perjury in the case.
    That trial began on January 11.
    The case against Berlusconi is being dealt with separately after he was unable to attend an October hearing on the grounds that he was in the United States for a check-up after undergoing heart surgery earlier in 2016.
    In the first trial linked to the case, Berlusconi was convicted of paying Ruby for sex while she was a minor, but was acquitted on appeal over lack of evidence that he knew she was under 18 at the time.