Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attends television talk show "Porta a Porta" (Door to Door) in Rome, Italy, November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian court on Saturday ordered ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges he bribed witnesses to silence them over accusations he paid for sex with young women.

Berlusconi was acquitted in 2014 of charges of having had sex with Karima El Mahroug, a Moroccan who is better known by her stage name Ruby the Heartstealer, when she was 17.

Prosecutors later alleged that around 10 million euros ($11 million) were paid to corrupt the witnesses in the case, of which, they said, El Mahroug received 7 million.

Berlusconi was to have stood trial with others facing corruption charges but his case was separated from that group because of health problems following heart surgery.

Berlusconi denies all wrongdoing. His trial is due to start on April 5.

Among those being tried in the separate, related corruption trial are 16 women who took part in Berlusconi’s so-called “Bunga Bunga” parties at his residences.

Berlusconi’s lawyer. Federico Cecconi. rejected the accusations, acknowledging that Berlusconi helped some of the girls financially but insisting he did not bribe them. “There is a risk that what will go on trial here is generosity,” he said.

Berlusconi’s political career has been dogged by non-stop legal battles. He was barred from office following a 2013 conviction for tax fraud and although he remains head of his Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party he has lost much popular support.</s>A Milan judge Saturday ordered former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to be tried on corruption charges, damping the ex-leader’s hopes of running soon for office again after being sidelined by a tax-fraud conviction.

The Italian news agency ANSA, reporting from Milan, said Judge Carlo Ottone De Marchi, after a hearing on an indictment request by prosecutors, set the trial to begin April 5 in that city.

Milan daily Corriere della Sera says the former three-time prime minister is accused of having shelled out some €10 million ($10.6 million) plus expensive gifts to some 20 young women who attended sexy parties at his Arcore villa near Milan. Prosecutors allege Berlusconi aimed to “buy” the women’s silence in various trials involving him.

Berlusconi’s lawyers have denied any wronging by their client. One of them, Federico Cecconi, told reporters Berlusconi faces “the first trial for the crime of generosity.”

Berlusconi, 80, heads the center-right Forza Italia party, which is now in the opposition.

The latest indictment stems from an investigation into whether the payments constituted corruption in judicial proceedings or if the billionaire media mogul was legitimately helping the young women, who were invited to the so-called bunga-bunga parties at his residences.

Last year, a judge ordered a trial for Karima el-Mahroug and 22 others accused of accepting bribes and lying on the stand to protect Berlusconi in his trial on charges of having paid for sex with el-Mahroug when she was an underage teenager and he prime minister, and then using his influence to cover it up.

Berlusconi was acquitted in the sex-for-hire case on appeal.

His corruption case, which led to Saturday’s indictment, had been separated from those of others due to his health issues.

A 2013 tax fraud condition forced him out of his Senate seat and left him barred from holding public office for the next few years.

Berlusconi has challenged the ban, bringing his case to the European Court of Human Rights. He was stripped of his office under a 2012 law preventing anyone sentenced to more than two years in prison from holding or running for public office for at least six years.

Berlusconi says in his case, being stripped from office amounts to retroactive punishment, since the tax fraud case dates back before 2012.

A Italian national election is due in 2018. But it might be held later this year, after Democratic Party leader Matteo Renzi resigned the premiership last month after a stinging defeat in a referendum on his reform agenda.</s>An Italian court on Saturday ordered ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges he bribed witnesses to silence them over accusations he paid for sex with young women. Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attends television talk show "Porta a Porta" in Rome, Italy, November 30, 2016.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Channelnewsasia.com.</s>MILAN An Italian court on Saturday ordered ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges he bribed witnesses to silence them over accusations he paid for sex with young women.Berlusconi was acquitted in 2014 of charges of having had sex with Karima El Mahroug, a Moroccan who is better known by her stage name Ruby the Heartstealer, when she was 17.Prosecutors later alleged that around 10 million euros ($11 million) were paid to corrupt the witnesses in the case, of which, they said, El Mahroug received 7 million.Berlusconi was to have stood trial with others facing corruption charges but his case was separated from that group because of health problems following heart surgery.

Berlusconi denies all wrongdoing. His trial is due to start on April 5.Among those being tried in the separate, related corruption trial are 16 women who took part in Berlusconi's so-called "Bunga Bunga" parties at his residences.

Berlusconi's lawyer. Federico Cecconi. rejected the accusations, acknowledging that Berlusconi helped some of the girls financially but insisting he did not bribe them. "There is a risk that what will go on trial here is generosity," he said.

Berlusconi's political career has been dogged by non-stop legal battles. He was barred from office following a 2013 conviction for tax fraud and although he remains head of his Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party he has lost much popular support. (Reporting By Manuela D'Alessandro writing by Philip Pullella; editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>Berlusconi was acquitted in 2014 of charges of having had sex with Karima El Mahroug, a Moroccan who is better known by her stage name Ruby the Heartstealer, when she was 17.

Prosecutors later alleged that around €10 million ($11 million) were paid to corrupt the witnesses in the case, of which, they said, El Mahroug received €7 million.

Berlusconi was to have stood trial with others facing corruption charges but his case was separated from that group because of health problems following heart surgery.

Berlusconi denies all wrongdoing. His trial is due to start on April 5.

Among those being tried in the separate, related corruption trial are 16 women who took part in Berlusconi's so-called "Bunga Bunga" parties at his residences.

Berlusconi's lawyer. Federico Cecconi. rejected the accusations, acknowledging that Berlusconi helped some of the girls financially but insisting he did not bribe them. "There is a risk that what will go on trial here is generosity," he said.

Berlusconi's political career has been dogged by non-stop legal battles. He was barred from office following a 2013 conviction for tax fraud and although he remains head of his Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party he has lost much popular support.</s>Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will stand trial on corruption charges, a Milan judge has ruled.

The trial which has been given a start date of April 5 will take place in Milan and reportedly relates to accusations that Berlusconi shelled out nearly £8m to women who attended "sexy" parties at his home.

According to the Milan newspaper Corriere della Sera, the former three-time premier is also accused of buying expensive gifts which were given to 20 young women who attended gatherings at his Arcore villa near Milan.

Berlusconi's lawyers have denied any wrongdoing, saying the former PM is being tried for his "generosity" to the women.</s>A Milan judge on Saturday ordered Silvio Berlusconi to be tried on corruption charges, damping the former Italian premier's hopes of running soon for office again after being sidelined by a tax-fraud conviction. The Italian news agency ANSA, reporting from Milan, said Judge Carlo Ottone De Marchi, after a hearing on an indictment request by prosecutors, set the trial to begin April 5 in that city.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Gazette.</s>In this Wednesday, May 21, 2014 file photo, Silvio Berlusconi talks during the recording of a TV show in Rome. Just when Silvio Berlusoni hopes to run for office after being sidelined for a tax-fraud conviction, a Milan judge has ordered him to be tried on corruption charges.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Houston Chronicle.</s>A Milan judge has ordered former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi to be tried on corruption charges.

Judge Carlo Ottone De Marchi ordered the trial to begin on April 5 in Milan, said Italian news agency ANSA.

Milan daily Corriere della Sera said the former three-time premier is accused of having shelled out some €10m, plus expensive gifts, to 20 young women who attended sexy parties at his Arcore villa near Milan.

Mr Berlusconi's lawyers deny any wrongdoing by their client, saying he is being tried for his "generosity" to the women.

Prosecutors allege the centre-right leader aimed to "buy" the women's silence in various trials involving him.</s>Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has flown to the United States for tests on his heart condition, meaning he could not attend the start of a new trial on Monday tied to his "bunga bunga" parties, his lawyers said.

The lawyers said Berlusconi had checked into the Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center in New York for a medical visit almost four months after undergoing major open heart surgery in Italy.

Berlusconi turned 80 last week and had a party with family and friends to celebrate. There has been no indication of any worsening of his condition.

The media tycoon had been due in court on Monday for a preliminary hearing in a case where he is accused of handing out about 10 million euros (8.53 million pound) in bribes to persuade guests at his private parties to keep quiet about the revelries.

He was acquitted last year of having sex with an under-aged prostitute at his parties. The judge ruled that it could not be proved that he knew the woman was just 17 at the time.
An Italian court orders former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on April 4 on charges of allegedly bribing witnesses with €10 million (US$11 million) in order to silence them over accusations he paid for sex with young women.