Berlusconi 'spent 29m on helicopters, antiques and electricity bills'

London, Mar 10: From antiques, helicopter flights, services of a disc jockey to gifts for young women, Italy's billionaire Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi spent a whopping 34 million euros of his own money in 2010.

The 74-year old premier, whose estimated fortune of 4.5-7 billion pounds makes him Italy's third richest person, lavished presents on friends and supporters, including 120,000 euros on ties and scarves and another 65,000 euros on jewellery, reports The Telegraph.

According to details from a bank account examined during a probe into his alleged relations with an underage prostitute, Berlusconi also spent 675,000 euros for the rent of a castle, which overlooks the sea near the resort of Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

He splashed out 650,000 euros at art galleries and antique shops and 900,000 euros on gas and electricity bills at his Caribbean home in tax haven Antigua.

According to details of the bank account published by Corriere della Sera, he gave 562,000 euros to 14 young women last year and spent nearly half a million euros on helicopter flights.

Among the lucky recipients of his largesse was a disc jockey paid 100,000 euros, and Angela Sozio, a former Big Brother contestant was allegedly paid the same amount.

Niccolo Ghedini, one of Berlusconi's lawyers, said the publication of the payments was 'a clear violation of privacy'.

He also denied he had been paid 441,000 euros in legal fees - another of the items documented by Corriere della Sera.

ANI