Police arrest former Berlusconi associate

IMG class=hide alt=”Police arrest former Berlusconi associate” src=”http://www.mineralfossil.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/wpid-531359ae36976b014ff4ba64645e9492.jpg” (ANSA) – Rome, December 20 – Police on Friday arrested former newspaper editor Valter Lavitola on allegations of attempted extortion and bribery on a construction project in Panama. Lavitola is an associate of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi and was previously convicted of trying to blackmail Berlusconi. PLast month, Lavitola saw his 2-year, 8-month sentence halved to one year and four months on appeal./PPIn Friday’s documents, prosecutors mention Berlusconi, but add that he was not aware of Lavitola’s affairs in this matter./PPLavitola, the former director of Avanti! newspaper, was sentenced in March on charges that he attempted blackmail in exchange for hushing up payments to escorts at the ex-premier’s home./PPLavitola was also indicted with Berlusconi in October for allegedly acting as a go-between in the case of Senator Sergio De Gregorio, who confessed to switching political sides after receiving two million euros from the centre-right leader during a centre-left government led by ex-European Commission president Romano Prodi, who beat Berlusconi in two general elections./PPProsecutors have alleged that Lavitola tried to bribe other Senators who have not been identified./PPLavitola returned to Italy last year after a self-imposed exile in Panama, where he reportedly was involved with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli and his government in construction contracts./P
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