Berlusconi's daughter jumps to his defence over sex scandal

London, Sept 13 (ANI): Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi's daughter Marina, who is ranked the 10th most powerful businesswoman in the world by Fortune magazine, has come to her father's defence, saying he has been "stabbed in the back" by months of revelations about his sex life.

The 43-year-old came to his defence after Giampaolo Tarantini, a businessman under investigation for alleged drug and prostitution offences, told prosecutors in Bari, southern Italy, that he had supplied 31 women for the prime minister's parties between last September and January, reports The Times.

Berlusconi, however, denied having ever paid anyone for sex, but admitted Tarantini had brought "beautiful women" to his parties.

Marina, who heads the Fininvest financial holding group and the Mondadori publishing house, denounced "attempts to stab him in the back. But luckily my father has good reflexes".

"Berlusconi, like everyone else, is free to have a private life and to react forcefully to accusations which aren't accusations but shameful slander," Marina told the newspaper Corriere della Sera.

In May, Berlusconi's estranged wife, Veronica Lario, had announced that she wanted a divorce from the premier after accusing him of being "not well" and obsessed with young women.

She was apparently furious over his attendance at the 18th birthday party of an aspiring lingerie model, Noemi Letizia.

Later an escort, Patrizia D'Addario, claimed that she and another prostitute had sexual intercourse with the prime minister at his official residence in Rome following a private party. (ANI)