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Former Italian prime minister SilvioBerlusconi paid large sums of money to the Sicilian mafia in orderto protect him and his family in the 1970s through a closeassociate, the country's highest court said on Tuesday. The Court of Cassation said Senator Marcello Dell'Utri, a formeraide of Berlusconi, was the "go-between" for Berlusconi who paidthe Cosa Nostra "substantial sums" of money to guarantee hissafety. "Berlusconi handed over conspicuous sums of money to the mafia,"the court said in a 146-page document outlining the reasons for itsdecision last month to quash a trial against Dell'Utri, a Sicilianwho worked for Berlusconi at that time. In its judgement on Tuesday, the court noted there was an agreementto "guarantee the freedom of movement and activities" of Berlusconiwhile noting he was the "victim" of extortion. Although the former prime minister is mentioned in the courtruling, he was not involved in the case. Berlusconi, 75, is one of Italy's richest men and has long been thesubject of claims that he was associated with the mafia since hebuilt his business career from humble beginnings. In the court document, the judges said that there was ampleevidence about Dell'Utri's alleged mafia dealings, including theemployment of Berlusconi's stable manager, Vittorio Mangano, at hisluxury villa at Arcore outside Milan in 1974. Mangano, a Sicilian mobster who was later convicted of murder, diedof natural causes in 2000. He was allegedly hired to protect Berlusconi and his family after awave of kidnappings that targeted wealthy industrialists and theirchildren. The judges said that Mangano's job was decided when Berlusconi metmafia bosses Francesco Di Carlo and Stefano Bontate at a Milanoffice in 1974. Berlusconi, who has been dogged by sex and corruption scandals foryears, was forced to resign over Italy's debt crisis last Novemberand was replaced by technocrat Mario Monti. The court overturned Senator Dell'Utri's conviction by two lowercourts for colluding with Cosa Nostra and called for a retrial. His lawyer, Massimo Krogh, welcomed the decision saying the courthad recognized there was no psychological motivation to suggest thesenator had committed a crime. Dell'Utri had previously been sentenced to seven years in prisonbut has never served any jail time. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Auto Air Conditioning Evaporator , Honda Evaporator for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Honda Evaporator.
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