Berlusconi faces new fraud charge

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7034274.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A Milan prosecutor has laid a new charge of false accounting against ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Monday's charge opened a new phase in the long-running battle between the Italian judiciary and Mr Berlusconi.

It prevents the statute of limitations from expiring in a trial over the purchase by Mr Berlusconi's Mediaset empire of rights to films.

Mr Berlusconi's lawyer says his client was not involved in company business at the time of the alleged fraud.

The charge, brought by prosecutor Fabio De Pasquale, alleges that Mediaset purchased television rights to American films before 1999 through two "offshore" companies and falsely declared their costs to reduce the tax bill.

The charge against Mr Berlusconi, Mediaset Chairman Fedele Confalieri, Hollywood producer Frank Agrama, and two others, relates to financial reports for 2000 that were made public in 2001.

THE CASES AGAINST BERLUSCONI Silvio Berlusconi has been put on trial at least six times for Bribing financial police Guilty on four counts; conviction overturned on appealIllegal political financing Guilty; acquitted on appeal as statute of limitations (SoL) had expiredFalse accounting (Medusa Cinema) Guilty; overturned on appealTax fraud, false accounting (Macherio estates) Acquitted/SoL expiredFalse accounting (AC Milan transfer) SoL expiredBribing a judge Acquitted/SoL expired

"It refers to a period during which [Mr Berlusconi] wasn't involved in the company - he was in politics," said Nicolas Ghedini, Mr Berlusconi's lawyer.

The statute of limitations was due to expire on remaining counts against Mr Berlusconi by October 20, Mr Ghedini added.

The charge represents the latest chapter in the long-running saga of legal scrapes involving Mr Berlusconi's Milan-based business interests.

Until now, the former premier either had cases against him dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired, or was acquitted outright. He has always maintained his innocence.

The court adjourned the trial until November 19.