Ex-Italian PM Berlusconi handed 4 year prison term for tax fraud October 26, 2012 -- Updated 1439 GMT (2239 HKT) Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrives at Milan's justice court on May 2, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for tax fraud He is likely to appeal the sentence handed down by the Milan court He resigned as prime minister last November over his country's debt crisis Berlusconi has survived a series of legal cases over the years Rome (CNN) -- Italy's flamboyant former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for tax fraud. Berlusconi is likely to appeal the sentence handed down by the Milan court. The case involved his Mediaset group and the purchase of TV rights. Berlusconi, 76, resigned as prime minister last November over his country's debt crisis, bringing to an apparent end an 18-year era in which he dominated Italian politics. He had survived a series of political, corruption and sex scandals over the years, involving allegations of embezzlement, tax fraud and bribery. He also currently faces trial on charges that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was arrested for theft. CNN's Ben Wedeman and Hada Messia contributed to this report. October 26, 2012 -- Updated 1338 GMT (2138 HKT)