Bunga-bunga ‘fixer’ says Berlusconi was victim of women

Sabina Began, who has been charged with aiding and abetting prostitution, says the ex-Italian PM made a mistake by bringing women into politics

John Follain, Rome Published: 20 November 2011

A model who organised a dinner for Silvio Berlusconi, her former lover, and the Hollywood star George Clooney has said the biggest mistake made by the ousted Italian prime minister was to give political posts to his women friends.

Prosecutors have charged Sabina Began, 38, a Bosnian actress and model, and seven others with aiding and abetting prostitution by bringing at least 30 showgirls and escorts to parties at Berlusconi’s residences. Began, nicknamed the “Queen Bee” of his inner circle, denies the charge.

The private life of Berlusconi, the 75-year-old billionaire who was forced from office a week ago, will come under renewed scrutiny tomorrow at the start of a trial in Milan in which three other acquaintances are also accused of supplying paid women guests for his erotic “bunga-bunga” parties.

Asked about Berlusconi’s legacy, Began, who has his initials tattooed on her right ankle, said he did “beautiful things, lots of things against the mafia”. But she added: “His biggest mistake was bringing women into politics.

“Italians haven’t forgiven him: these women were interested only in glitterati parties, they’d had plastic surgery on their breasts, faces and lips and that’s the wrong image for women in politics.

“Berlusconi was gullible, he believed women had something more than men. I think he was a victim of women who captivated him [and] he was a bit careless.”

Berlusconi gave political opportunities to several women. Mara Carfagna, a former television starlet, became his equal opportunities minister. Nicole Minetti, a former showgirl, became a Milan councillor. She will stand trial tomorrow alongside Emilio Fede, a newscaster, and Lele Mora, a showbusiness agent.

Began said she was still in love with Berlusconi, whom she met in 2005 at his luxury villa on Sardinia’s Emerald Coast. She has said of their first night: “He was romantic, it was a marvellous night.”

Began and her co-defendants have been charged with supplying prostitutes to Berlusconi in the hope of gaining jobs, contracts or favours. The accused include Giampaolo Tarantini, a businessman and convicted cocaine dealer.

The investigation has focused on the women Began brought to a dinner at Berlusconi’s Rome residence in September 2008 at which Clooney wanted to lobby him over the crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region.

“I’m clean, I don’t do this thing [pimping]. There was a dinner with Clooney and 10 men, I called this friend [Tarantini] and I asked him to bring some women. I said I wanted women who could sing and dance,” Began said.

Leaked telephone intercepts reveal that Began said to Tarantini: “I’ll pay for everything, bring me girls, I beg you.”

Clooney told Time magazine that Berlusconi had taken him to see his bedroom and the bed that Vladimir Putin had given him. “It became a very different evening than anyone thought,” said Clooney.

“I was, like: I have to go. And he was saying: no, where are you going, there’s going to be a party. And I was, like: no, I gotta go, I really do.”