Italian Businessman: I Supplied Girls for Berlusconi

Allegations reignite Italian's leader sleaze scandal

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 10, 2009 6:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – An Italian businessman claims to have supplied 30 women for parties held by Silvio Berlusconi, some of whom slept with the Italian leader, the Guardian reports. Gianpaolo Tarantini, who is under investigation for corruption, says he was trying to gain influence with the prime minister. He told investigators that he provided female guests for 18 of Berlusconi's parties and paid some of them to stay the night.

Some of the women were high-class call girls, Tarantini says, while others were models and minor TV celebrities. "She is not in principle a professional sex worker," he said of one woman, a "dear friend" whom he supplied with cocaine. "But, if need be, she doesn't have a problem with being paid for sexual services." He paid the woman to have sex with Berlusconi in Rome on two occasions, he said.

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Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi gestures during a visit to the Italian Army Interforce Operative Command in Rome earlier this week. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi gestures at the opening of a textile industry fair in Milan, Italy, earlier this week. (AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar)

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Relying on prostitutes and cocaine was part of my project of creating a network within public administration.
- Gianpaolo Tarantini

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Italian Businessman: I Supplied Girls for Berlusconi