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| Swiss 'gigolo' admits blackmail | Swiss 'gigolo' admits blackmail |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Swiss man has pleaded guilty to seducing several rich women in order to swindle them out of millions of dollars, at a trial in Munich, Germany. | A Swiss man has pleaded guilty to seducing several rich women in order to swindle them out of millions of dollars, at a trial in Munich, Germany. |
| Helg Sgarbi - nicknamed by the media as the Swiss Gigolo - faces up to 10 years in prison for fraud and extortion. | Helg Sgarbi - nicknamed by the media as the Swiss Gigolo - faces up to 10 years in prison for fraud and extortion. |
| His most prominent victim was Susanne Klatten, the heiress of the German car manufacturer BMW. | His most prominent victim was Susanne Klatten, the heiress of the German car manufacturer BMW. |
| Sgarbi told the court he deeply regretted his actions and apologised to his victims. | Sgarbi told the court he deeply regretted his actions and apologised to his victims. |
| Prosecutors say Mrs Klatten, a married business tycoon who owns a 12.5% stake in BMW, gave Helg Sgarbi nearly $9m, but went to the police after he tried to blackmail her. | Prosecutors say Mrs Klatten, a married business tycoon who owns a 12.5% stake in BMW, gave Helg Sgarbi nearly $9m, but went to the police after he tried to blackmail her. |
| HELG SGARBI | HELG SGARBI |
| Originally called Russak, he was first reported to the police by an 83-year old countess, who said he had seduced and persuaded her to hand over several million Euros. | Originally called Russak, he was first reported to the police by an 83-year old countess, who said he had seduced and persuaded her to hand over several million Euros. |
| She later dropped the charges and has since died, while he changed his name to Sgarbi. | She later dropped the charges and has since died, while he changed his name to Sgarbi. |
| Sgarbi has been described by police as a smooth operator who knew how to win the trust of his victims and is alleged to have connections with criminal gangs. | Sgarbi has been described by police as a smooth operator who knew how to win the trust of his victims and is alleged to have connections with criminal gangs. |
| He told the women he targeted he was a "special Swiss representative in crisis zones", which accounted for his sudden disappearances | He told the women he targeted he was a "special Swiss representative in crisis zones", which accounted for his sudden disappearances |
| He told several of the women, including Mrs Klatten, that he needed money to pay off the family of a child he had run over in Florida. | |
| He is said to have not spoken about the cases since his arrest "out of respect to the ladies concerned". | He is said to have not spoken about the cases since his arrest "out of respect to the ladies concerned". |
| The reclusive 46-year-old mother-of-three said he secretly videoed them having sex in a Munich hotel and threatened to make the tape public if he did not receive another $18m. | The reclusive 46-year-old mother-of-three said he secretly videoed them having sex in a Munich hotel and threatened to make the tape public if he did not receive another $18m. |
| The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Munich says there has been a huge amount of media attention on the trial, which is being described as one of the most remarkable and sensational in German judicial history. | The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Munich says there has been a huge amount of media attention on the trial, which is being described as one of the most remarkable and sensational in German judicial history. |
| Sgarbi was surrounded by photographers as he entered the courtroom but sat expressionless while the charges against him were read out. | Sgarbi was surrounded by photographers as he entered the courtroom but sat expressionless while the charges against him were read out. |
| Three of the women were referred to by the initials H, S and R to protect their identities, while Mrs Klatten was listed by name. | |
| Sgarbi's lawyer then told the court the accusations were basically accurate. | Sgarbi's lawyer then told the court the accusations were basically accurate. |
| Before the trial, Sgarbi had been expected to face a sentence of up to 10 years, but the feeling is it will be reduced because of his guilty plea, our correspondent says. | Before the trial, Sgarbi had been expected to face a sentence of up to 10 years, but the feeling is it will be reduced because of his guilty plea, our correspondent says. |