Berlusconi's Beauties
Why the billionaire Italian prime minister gave his ex-wife a $105 million villa in exchange for his Sardinian pleasure pad and the movie rights to their lives.
AP Photo
Ruby the Heartbreaker, whose real name is Karima Keyek, had been at an orgiastic Valentine's Day party at the prime minister's Villa Arcore outside of Milan last year, where she reportedly bragged that she was the niece of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. (Never mind that Keyek is Moroccan.) So it seemed logical to the prime minister that he'd help out the Egyptian president's niece, saving Mubarak potential embarrassment, when he was told that Ruby was in jail for allegedly stealing €3,000 from a belly dancing colleague. "I have a big heart," Berlusconi told reporters after the incident. "I take action whenever there is someone in need."
But Ruby was not the niece of Mubarak, and it now seems apparent that Berlusconi was actually also trying to avoid his own embarrassing situation.
AP Photo
According to several papers, Lario is seeking a divorce from Berlusconi after nearly 19 years of marriage. In the past, the former actress has been openly critical about his roving eye and has even resorted to writing front-page newspaper letters to demand apologies. The couple has three children together.
Vincenzo Pinto, AFP / Getty Images
This 26-year-old Venezuelan model and star of the Italian version of Celebrity Survivor caught Berlusconi’s eye at a dinner two years ago. He told her, “With you I would go anywhere, even a desert island.”
Sandro Pace / AP Photo
A former topless model and sixth runner-up in the Miss Italy beauty pageant (it should also be noted, she has a law degree). Controversy ensued when Berlusconi promoted Carfanga to the post of minister for equal opportunity, and she was also at the awards show when Berlusconi jokingly proposed marriage, to which she responded, “I'd have said yes straight away but he's married and he's not my age.” Also of note: Maxim ranked her No. 1 on their list of World’s Hottest Politicians.
Luca Bruno / AP Photo
The 18-year-old set off Veronica Lario’s latest fury when the Prime Minister attended her birthday party and gave her a gold necklace and book inscribed “To my little Noemi, my little graphic artist, your little daddy teacher.” Letizia said, “It was a lovely surprise to see the man I call papi (daddy) at my party. I call him papi but of course he is second to my father.” Lario responded that his attendance “really surprised me because he has never come to the 18th birthday parties of any of our (three) children despite being invited.”
Franco Castan / AP Photo
Rumored to be the successor to Berlusconi, this former beauty queen (sensing a trend?) was also a TV journalist for one of Berlusconi’s channels, and is nicknamed La Rossa (the Red One). She is minister for tourism in his party.
Luca Bruno / AP Photo
The ex-showgirl and TV hostess is currently a deputy for Forza Italia.
Elisabetta Villa / Getty Images
The comely brunette was appointed minister for the environment by Berlusconi in May 2008.
Giuseppe Cacace / Getty Images
Gaggioli is a 31-year-old TV star and part of the leggy foursome appointed by Berlusconi as the fresh faces of his party.
Getty Images
Also a former Miss Italy candidate, 28-year-old Matera rounds out Berlusconi’s list of women to represent the EU parliament. At least she has a science degree.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images
Yet another actress linked to the high-powered official, Dellera reportedly told a friend that the playboy prime minister wanted to give her a mink coat as a gift.
Tony Barson, WireImage / Getty Images
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