George Clooney and Cristiano Ronaldo have been authorized by an Italian court to serve as witnesses in the trial of ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is facing allegations of having sex with an underage prostitute.
Berlusconi’s lawyers aim to enlist the Hollywood actor and Real Madrid soccer star to assist in defending against accusations of paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl and subsequently pressuring police to secure her release from custody.
The strategy involves calling the two as witnesses to challenge the credibility of the woman, Karima El Mahroug, better known by her stage name “Ruby the Heart Stealer,” who alleges that Clooney attended a provocative party she was at and that she had sexual relations with Ronaldo.
Clooney has previously refuted the allegation and indicated his willingness to testify.
Ronaldo has labeled El Mahroug’s claim as “entirely false.”
Among the 78 prominent witnesses the defense is calling are the two stars, along with several former government ministers, a famous Neapolitan singer, and two well-known actresses, according to a court source.
On the prosecution’s side, a total of 136 witnesses are being summoned, which includes Moroccan-born El Mahroug and 32 other young women who attended gatherings at the former prime minister’s opulent villa near Milan, where the alleged underage sex offense occurred.
During police interrogation, portions of which have been leaked to the Italian media, El Mahroug described the infamous “Bunga Bunga” parties, recounting incidents with multiple naked women providing lap dances to the elderly billionaire.
Berlusconi could face up to three years in prison for the sex allegations and 12 years for abuse of power, stemming from allegations that he misused his official position to facilitate El Mahroug’s release following her arrest in an unrelated matter.
by Buford Balony
