His penchant for beautiful young women has cost him his wife, and now may cost Silvio Berlusconi what he cherishes most: power. The 74-year-old Italian premier was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges he paid a 17-year-old Moroccan girl for sex, and then used his influence to cover it up – an offense that, if proven, could see him barred permanently from public office. Berlusconi has called the allegations "groundless" and dismissed the case as a "farce," accusing prosecutors of seeking to oust him from power. He did not comment Tuesday, skipping a news conference in Sicily and meeting with his lawyer in Rome.

Unlike Berlusconi's many past legal problems involving business-related charges concerning his Mediaset empire, this time he faces allegations of personal misconduct while serving as the head of government. The trial is set to begin April 6 before a panel of three female judges.


Prosecutors have already relayed more than 700-pages of wiretap conversations describing raucous behavior that would draw censure at most fraternity houses: sex-fueled parties attended by scantily clad women, sometimes dressed as nurses or police officers.
Source: huffingtonpost.