Karima el-Mahroug, the woman who may bring down Silvio Berlusconi, met the Italian prime minister while she was still aged only 17 – under the minimum age for prostitution in Italy – according to leaked evidence from the investigation.
It was reported that she had been at dinners at Berlusconi's mansion, near Milan, which led on to an erotic game known to participants as "bunga bunga".
At one of these, Mahroug, who also uses the nickname Ruby Rubacuore (Ruby Heartstealer), was said to have told prosecutors she sat next to Berlusconi, and that he later took her upstairs and gave her an envelope containing €7,000 (£5,860). She said he also gave her jewellery, but insisted she had not slept with the 74-year-old.
"It the first time in my life that a man has not tried to take me to bed. He behaved like a father, I swear," she told La Repubblica last year.
Their acquaintance came to light after Mahroug was arrested in Milan for allegedly stealing cash. The commander of the police station to which she was taken said she was released after a call from the prime minister's office saying – incorrectly – that she was the granddaughter of Egypt's now former president, Hosni Mubarak.
Mahroug had run away from a care home, but instead of being returned to care she was handed over to Nicole Minetti, a TV presenter turned dental hygienist who acquired a post in Berlusconi's Freedom People party after catching his eye as she cleaned his teeth. Minetti, along with two other close associates of the prime minister, a newscaster on one of his three television channels and a showbusiness talent scout, is now under investigation for aiding and abetting prostitution,
Berlusconi has not denied that he sent an aide to secure the girl's release, claiming: "I'm a person of the heart, and I take action whenever there is someone in need of help."
Prosecutors allege Berlusconi paid for sex with Mahroug, then used his influence to get her out of police custody. He denies any wrongdoing.
