Clooney Called in Berlusconi Sex Trial, Actor Says He Missed 'Bunga Bunga' Party
George Clooney and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo were named as witnesses Wednesday in the Silvio Berlusconi sex trial in which he is accused of paying for sex with an underage prostitute.
The lawyers of the former Italian Prime Minister have asked Clooney and Ronaldo to testify to defend Berlusconi against claims made by Karima El Mahroug, better known by her stage name as "Ruby the Heart Stealer." El Mahroug is the 17-year-old who allegedly had sex with Berlusconi.
She claimed Clooney was also at the party and that she had sex with Ronaldo too.
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Clooney said he would testify, but he has denied being present at the "bunga bunga party."
“I went to speak about Darfur," said the actor in an interview with Time magazine. "It was a very interesting conversation to say the least, that became a very different kind of event than anyone ever thought.”
When the meeting concluded, Clooney said he was invited to the party at the Italian villa but that he said, “No, I gotta go.”
Ronaldo said the allegations are "totally false.”
Over 200 witnesses were accepted by the Milan court, including Clooney's ex-girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis, Italian singer Mariano Apicella and former Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Wednesday. The judge said witnesses would be called on a case-by-case basis depending on how the trial progresses.
"Usually if they're called they have to come. But if they didn't come, we wouldn't send the police after them,” said a court official to the Agence France Presse.
Berlusconi is also being accused of using his status to cover up other crimes. He faces three years in prison for the sex charge and 12 years in prison for abuse of power.
The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2. The following hearings are scheduled for Dec. 12, Jan. 27 and Jan. 30.
Berlusconi stepped down from the prime minister position earlier this month. He denies the charges.
