Billionaire former Italian PM Berlusconi leaves over Rs 900 crore to his girl-friend in will

Rome (Italy): Former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, who breathed his last, has left over Rs 900 crore to his 33-year-old girlfriend Marta Fascina in his will. In the will, Berlusconi, a three-time PM of Italy, has left 100 million Euros, which amounts to approximately Rs 906.29 crore, for Fascina, who is a Forza Italia deputy.

Berlusconi's empire is estimated to be more than 6 billion Euros. The relationship between Fascina and Berlusconi began in March 2020. Though the two were unmarried, the former Italian PM referred to Fascina as his "wife" while he was on his deathbed. Fascina, who is 33 years old is a member of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of the Italian Parliament, since the 2018 elections.

Berlusconi, who entered politics in 1994, founded the Forza Italia, centre-right liberal conservative party. Marta Fascina is a member of Forza Italia. Berusconi's business empire will be controlled by his two children Marina and Pier Silvio, who already hold executive roles. The duo will have a 53 percent stake in Fininvest family holding.

In the will, the former Italy Prime Minister has also left 100 million Euros (over Rs 900 crore) to his brother Paolo, and 30 million Euros (over Rs 270 crore) to 81-year-old Marcello Dell'Utri, a former senator with Forza Italia party, who served jail time for association with the mafia.

86-year-old Berlusconi passed away on June 12, 2023. He was a billionaire media tycoon, businessman, and politician, who dominated public life in the European country. According to his aides, he was admitted to a hospital in Milan for pre-planned tests for leukemia.

The former PM in his will wrote, "''I leave the available stock in equal parts to my children Marina and Pier Silvio. I leave all the rest in equal parts to my five children Marina, Pier Silvio, Barbara, Eleonora, and Luigi.'' His will was recently read out in front of his five children and other witnesses.

During his life, Berlusconi was banned from politics for six years after he was convicted in a case of tax fraud. He was also the largest-serving PM of Italy and in his personal life was plagued by scandals. He also compared himself with Jesus Christ.

Dressed smarty Berlusconi, who was suffering from leukemia, was active in politics to the end. He was a senator and partner in Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government. The former Prime Minister's life was embroiled in legal actions. In September 2020, he was hospitalised for Covid-19 and later in April 2023, doctors said that he was admitted to a hospital for leukemia and a lung infection.