Italian Ex-Premier Convicted of Fraud
Italy’s sweeping corruption scandal claimed its highest-ranking figure Friday as former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison.
Craxi denounced the in absentia conviction from self-imposed exile in Tunisia, saying it was “preordained” by his political enemies.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a close friend and confidant of Craxi, scrambled to keep his 11-week-old coalition government together, pledging to put his stake in a firm under investigation into a blind trust in order to avoid accusations of conflict of interest.
Meanwhile, Berlusconi’s brother Paolo surrendered to authorities investigating alleged bribes and tax fraud at the prime minister’s firm.
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