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| Berlusconi 'witness tampering' inquiry in Ruby trial | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is to be investigated for alleged witness-tampering in an underage prostitution trial. | |
| He and his lawyers are accused of meeting the female witnesses to discuss the evidence they would give. | |
| Berlusconi was convicted last year of paying for sex with an underage prostitute Karima El Mahroug, also known as "Ruby the Heart Stealer". | |
| The latest allegations against him stem from a related legal case. | |
| Forty-five people are under investigation, according to judicial officials, including senior members of Berlusconi's legal team, Niccolo Ghedini and Piero Longo. | |
| Also being investigated are young women who attended parties at Berlusconi's villa near Milan. | |
| The former prime minister was sentenced to seven years in custody last July for paying for sex with a prostitute aged under 18 and abuse of office. Due to his age - 77 - he will not go to jail, but is obliged to carry out community work. | |
| Karima El Mahroug has always denied having sexual relations with Berlusconi. |