Topline
Former Italian prime minister and billionaire Silvio Berlusconi died Monday at the age of 86, Italian media report, a media mogul and longtime fixture in Italian politics despite repeated scandals who passed away two months after reports emerged he had been diagnosed with leukemia.
Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi waves to reporters as he arrives at the Chamber of Deputies … [+]
Key Facts
Berlusconi died in Milan at the San Raffaele hospital, according to Italian media cited by the BBC, and no official cause for his death has yet been given.
The Italian politician was publicly confirmed to have been diagnosed with leukemia in April, when he was hospitalized for a lung infection, and his death comes after Berlusconi was in the hospital for “scheduled tests” on Friday.
Berlusconi had a broader history of health issues, including undergoing heart surgery in 2016, and was hospitalized with a serious case of Covid-19 in 2020, and again in April 2021 as he suffered long-term effects from the coronavirus.
Berlusconi gained prominence as a media mogul through his media company Finvest before entering politics in the 1990s, going on to lead Italy’s Forza Italia party and serve multiple terms as prime minister between 1994 and 2011.
He served as a senator at the time of his death, after a 2013 ban on him holding public office following a conviction for tax fraud was lifted in 2018.
Crucial Quote
“An era is over, an era is closing,” Italian defense minister Guido Crosetto said Monday, as translated by the BBC, saying Berlusconi’s death left a “huge void.” “I loved him so very much.”
Forbes Valuation
Forbes has valued Berlusconi and his five children’s wealth at $6.9 billion as of Monday, based on his media empire Finvest and stakes in media, publishing and banking firms.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/06/12/former-italian-pm-silvio-berlusconi-dies-at-86/