Berlusconi conviction upheld; prison term sticks

Chief Justice Antonio Esposito (C) reads the verdict of the Mediaset trial during a hearing at the supreme court in Rome, August 1, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Backgrounder: Major cases Berlusconi involved in

Italian Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced Berlusconi to 4 years in prison, partially confirming the appeal court's verdict and ordered a retrial on 5-year-ban from public office because of tax fraud.

The following are other recent major cases Berlusconi involved in:

-- Corruption of Senator De Gregorio: In February 2013, Berlusconi has been put under investigation for corruption and illegal financing of political parties by the public prosecutor of Naples. He is accused of bribing Senator Sergio De Gregorio for 3 million euros (4 million US dollars) to facilitate its passage into the ranks of the People of Freedom (PdL) in 2006.

-- Child Prostitution: Berlusconi was investigated for a sexual relationship with Karima El Mahroug, who is called "Ruby Rubacuori" in Italy, and was 17 years old at the time of the relationship with Berlusconi. In June 2013, Berlusconi was convicted of the charge and sentenced to seven years pending an appeal.

-- Aggravated extortion: Against officials of the police headquarters in Milan to secure the release of Kharima el Marhoug.

-- Unipol case: In February March, 2013 a Milan judge sentenced Berlusconi to a one-year jail term for conspiring to reveal classified police files about a banking investigation to a newspaper owned by his family. The files concerned Italian insurance company Unipol's attempted bid to buy the bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro in 2005.

-- Aggravated defamation: Against ex prosecutor Antonio Di Pietro, who is accused of having obtained a degree thanks to the secret services.