An overachieving Italian court Friday sentenced former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to four years in jail for tax fraud. Prosecutors only asked for a sentence of three years and eight months. Berlusconi and 10 others were being tried in connection with a scheme to purchase broadcasting rights for U.S. movies for the prime minister’s private television networks through offshore companies while falsely declaring the payments to avoid taxes. The 76-year-old politician has the right to appeal the ruling two more times, and won’t be jailed until after the final appeal.
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