The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
June 12, 2023

Scandal-Plagued Italian Media Tycoon and Ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi Dies at 86
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media tycoon, billionaire and four-time Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi has died at the age of 86. Berlusconi was first elected prime
minister in 1994, leveraging his unrivaled influence over public opinion
in Italy, where he controlled newspapers, magazines and three major TV
channels. Throughout his career, Berlusconi faced multiple criminal
charges, including abuse of office, bribery, corruption and paying for
sex with an underage girl. Most of the charges ended in dismissals after
Berlusconi's government passed laws shielding him from prosecution, but
a tax fraud conviction in 2013 barred him from public office for six
years.


.