Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is being investigated by prosecutors in the southern city of Bari over accusations that he induced a witness to lie about alleged sex parties at his homes, the Ansa news agency reported on Thursday.
Berlusconi is suspected of inducing Bari businessman Giampaolo Tarantini to lie to magistrates about the role the latter allegedly played in supplying prostitutes to parties at the media magnate's homes in Rome, Sardinia and at Arcore outside Milan, according to reports in several newspapers on Thursday.
Berlusconi is charged with having sex with an underage prostitute, Moroccan Karima El-Mahroug, and then allegedly abusing his powers by getting police to release her when she was arrested for theft to hide his crime.
Berlusconi rejects all charges and El-Mahroug denies having sex with him.
He is a defendant in two other trials, for tax fraud and for violating official secrets.
