The Court of Cassation rejected prosecutors' appeal and confirmed Berlusconi's acquittal yesterday on charges he paid for sex with an underage prostitute during raunchy, sex-fuelled "bunga bunga" parties at his Milan villa, and used his influence to cover it up.
A lower court had convicted the three-time former premier of both charges, and sentenced him to seven years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office. But an appeals court reversed the verdict last year, a decision that was confirmed by the Cassation yesterday.
"It's a great success," said defence attorney Michaela Andresano. "The court accepted our arguments and rejected the prosecutors' appeal."
Prosecutors had alleged that Berlusconi paid Karima el-Mahroug, better known as Ruby, for sex while she was a minor and then intervened with police in 2010 to have her released when she was picked up on suspicion of theft.
Both Berlusconi and el-Mahroug, who was 17 at the time, denied ever having had sex. Berlusconi has long maintained his legal woes were the result of left-leaning magistrates.
Lead defence attorney Franco Coppi argued there was no proof Berlusconi knew el-Mahroug's age and that Berlusconi's call to the police official contained no threats, "explicit or implicit."
Berlusconi last week completed his community service stint for a tax fraud conviction that also cost him his seat in parliament. Despite yesterday's high court victory, Berlusconi's legal woes aren't over: Milan prosecutors are also investigating him for allegedly paying off witnesses in the "bunga-bunga" case, and he's still on trial in Naples for alleged political corruption.