Who was Silvio Berlusconi, the ex-Italian PM who died at 86? Check net worth, cause of death & controversies

Former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, passed away at 86. Berlusconi, who led three Italian governments from 1994 to 2011, suffered leukaemia, the Italian news agency Ansa reported. He was one of the most flamboyant politicians in Italy. He made a political comeback in 2017 despite several controversies, including sex scandals, corruption, and a tax fraud conviction. Silvio Berlusconi spent six weeks at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan undergoing lung infection treatment and took his last breath there.

Here's everything you need to know about Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, his net worth, cause of death, and most famous controversies.

Silvio Berlusconi: Political Career

Silvio Berlusconi became the first prime minister in Italy who held the position without previously having held a government office. His second term in office is the longest served time by any Italian leader since World War II. He returned to power in 2008 but resigned due to Italy's debt crisis.

He began his career in property development. Later, he started Mediaset, Italy's largest commercial broadcaster. He also owned the AC Milan Football Club between 1986 and 2017. Berlusconi, nicknamed Il Cavaliere, was often called the 'kingmaker' in Italian politics.

Silvio Berlusconi's Net Worth

Silvio Berlusconi was a media tycoon with assets in TV and print. He was also the owner of AC Milan Football Club from 1986 to 2017. Silvio Berlusconi's net worth was around $7 billion in April 2023. In 2012, Forbes reported that he was Italy's sixth richest man with a net worth of $5.9 billion. Multiple outlets have reported that his current net worth is $6.8 billion.

Silvio Berlusconi: Cause of Death

Silvio Berlusconi died at 86 at San Rafaelle Hospital in Milan. He was suffering from leukaemia, and his condition worsened in recent days. Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to the intensive care unit last Friday due to a lung infection related to his chronic myeloid leukaemia. Over the years, Berlusconi had been hospitalised multiple times. In January 2022, he was admitted for a UTI (urinary tract infection).

Silvio Berlusconi: Scandals & Controversies

Silvio Berlusconi faced 35 criminal court cases during his entire political career. But he was only convicted once in a 2012 tax fraud case. Young women involved in his 'bunga bunga' parties brought several criminal cases against him. But they often resulted in dismissal, or Berlusconi emerged victorious on appeal. People often drawcomparisons between him and former US president Donald Trump for his racist and sexist comments.

(With inputs from agencies)

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