Silvio Berlusconi sentenced to four years for tax fraud

[hgodden]

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud.

Mr Berlusconi and others were accused of buying US film rights at inflated prices via two offshore companies under his control.

The former prime minister is expected to appeal against the verdict.

He has faced a number of trials connected to his business affairs, but has either been cleared or cases have run beyond the judicial time limit.

In the case for which he was sentenced on Friday, prosecutors alleged that part of the money declared for the purchase of film rights was skimmed off to create illegal slush funds, reducing tax liabilities for Mediaset, one of Mr Berlusconi's companies.

The court handed Mr Berlusconi a longer sentence than the three years and eight months requested by prosecutors. The trial began six years ago.