The conversations, wire-tapped as part of a probe into an alleged prostitution
ring surrounding Berlusconi, also suggested for the first time that he gave money to the women he allegedly slept with, contradicting his repeated insistence that he never paid for sex, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The taped conversations revealed in extraordinary detail how parties involving dozens of young starlets and escortgirls were organised for the Italian PM by a 36-year-old middleman, Gianpaolo Tarantini, a convicted cocaine dealer. Berlusconi was recorded telling Tarantini in October 2008 not to worry about paying the women too much, because they were already “well looked after”.
In one conversation taped by investigators in early 2009, Berlusconi told him: “Last night I had a queue outside my door, there were 11 of them. I only managed to do eight of them, I couldn’t manage any more. You just can’t get round to all of them. But this morning I feel great, I’m pleased with my stamina.”
The conversations also offered the strongest evidence yet that the scandal-prone billionaire used taxpayers’ money and state-owned aircraft to fly alleged prostitutes around Italy.
The wire-taps suggested that Berlusconi invited at least one alleged prostitute to accompany him from Rome to Milan on his plane, along with the businessman who is accused of acting as his pimp.
But Berlusconi does not intend stepping down after these revelations about his sex life spawned opposition calls for him to quit, his designated successor Angelino Alfano said Sunday.
“Berlusconi has no wish whatsoever to resign,” said Alfano, while concluding a three-day meeting of the People of Freedom party (PDL) in northeastern Cortina d’Ampezzo.
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