Ruby the heart stealer gives birth to girl
December 21st, 2011 - 3:33 am ICT by IANSRome, Dec 21 (IANS/AKI) The Moroccan woman at the centre of a sex scandal involving former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has given birth to a baby girl.
Karima el Marhoug — widely known by her stage name “Ruby the heart stealer” — gave birth to the baby named Sofia Aida in Genoa city’s Villa Scassi hospital.
Billionaire media tycoon Berlusconi, 75, is accused of paying the 19-year-old el Mahroug for sex when she was 17.
Italy’s legal age of consent is 14 but it is illegal to pay a minor for sex.
Berlusconi denies breaking any laws, and el Mahroug says she has never had sex with the former prime minister or worked as a prostitute.
“I’m well. It’s an indescribable feeling,” el Marhoug told SkyTG24, Sky News’ Italian channel. “For my daughter I can only wish her the best and hope she grows up in a tranquil family.”
According to Genoa daily Il Secolo XIX, the baby’s father, nightclub manager Luca Risso, did not make it to the hospital in time to be with el Marhoug at the time of the birth.
When el Marhoug was arrested for theft in Milan in May 2010, Berlusconi used his power as prime minister to get her released.
He continues to insist that he believed she was the grand-daughter of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and sought to avoid a diplomatic incident.
Berlusconi resigned as prime minister in November amid the scandal and a mounting debt crisis.
–IANS/AKI
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- Woman at centre of Berlusconi sex scandal set to marry - Mar 04, 2011
- Berlusconi trial: Ruby 'can't wait' to tell her story - May 21, 2011
- Berlusconi to write memoir on his private life - Aug 24, 2011
- 'Berlusconi had sex with underage Moroccan 13 times' - Mar 16, 2011
- Italy bars TV cameras from Berlusconi's 'Ruby' trial - Apr 01, 2011
- Berlusconi faces witness manipulating charges - Apr 20, 2012
- Italian PM's sex trial adjourned - Apr 06, 2011
- Prosecutors to request Berlusconi trial over 'Rubygate' - Feb 09, 2011
- Berlusconi says he isn't worried about upcoming sex trial - Feb 17, 2011
- Prosecutors may widen Berlusconi sex probe - Feb 08, 2011
- Teenage belly dancer 'claims Berlusconi knew her real age' - Feb 17, 2011
- Italy 'in turmoil' over new sex disclosures - Jan 20, 2011
- Berlusconi offered me bribe to alter belly dancer's birth certificate: Moroccan official - Mar 11, 2011
- Berlusconi cracks a joke on `bunga bunga' - Mar 31, 2011
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