Silvio Berlusconi · criminal prosecution · judicial corruption allegations
Was Silvio Berlusconi convicted of bribing witnesses in the Ruby ter case?
No. On 15 February 2023 the Milan court acquitted Silvio Berlusconi, who denied the allegations, of paying women who attended his parties to give false testimony in earlier trials, using the formula that the alleged offense did not exist. He died on 12 June 2023, before prosecutors appealed, so his acquittal was not challenged. On 14 October 2024 the Court of Cassation annulled the acquittals of 22 co-defendants on the judicial corruption charge and ordered a new appeal trial in Milan, which was continuing in 2026 and does not include him.
Last verified 30 October 2026. Italy
The record at a glance
| What was alleged? | Milan prosecutors accused Berlusconi of corruption in judicial proceedings, alleging that he paid about two dozen people, mostly guests at evenings at his Arcore residence, to give false testimony in the earlier Ruby trials. Prosecutors sought a six-year sentence.1,2 |
|---|---|
| Who made the claim? | Milan public prosecutor's office, 15 February 2023 |
| How did Berlusconi respond? | Berlusconi denied the allegations and said the payments were acts of generosity toward people whose lives had been disrupted by the trials. He described the prosecutions as part of a long effort by magistrates to remove him from politics. His lawyer welcomed the acquittal.1,2 (the subject's position) |
| Was there an official finding? | The Milan court acquitted Berlusconi in the Ruby ter case on 15 February 2023 with the formula il fatto non sussiste.2,5 His acquittal in the original Ruby case became final on 10 March 2015.3,4 Prosecutors' appeal of June 2023 concerned co-defendants only, because Berlusconi had died, and the Court of Cassation's 14 October 2024 ruling ordering a new appeal trial does not include him.5,6 |
| Was liability determined? | No. The subject was acquitted. Acquitted at first instance in Milan on 15 February 2023 because the alleged offense did not exist. The acquittal was not appealed as to him because he died on 12 June 2023 before prosecutors filed their appeal. He was also cleared in related witness-bribery trials in Siena and Rome according to Reuters.2,3,5,6,8 |
| What changed later? | As of 30 October 2026 Berlusconi's Ruby ter acquittal of 15 February 2023 stands. A retrial on appeal of co-defendants, ordered by the Court of Cassation on 14 October 2024, does not include him.2,5,6,9,10 |
| When was this checked? | 30 October 2026 |
What was alleged?
Milan prosecutors accused Berlusconi of corruption in judicial proceedings, alleging that he paid about two dozen people, mostly guests at evenings at his Arcore residence, to give false testimony in the earlier Ruby trials. Prosecutors sought a six-year sentence.1,2
Made by Milan public prosecutor's office on 15 February 2023.
What did Berlusconi say?
Berlusconi denied the allegations and said the payments were acts of generosity toward people whose lives had been disrupted by the trials. He described the prosecutions as part of a long effort by magistrates to remove him from politics. His lawyer welcomed the acquittal.1,2
"I can only express our utmost satisfaction for this unequivocal acquittal."
Federico Cecconi, lawyer for Silvio Berlusconi (reported by Reuters), 15 February 2023. This is the subject's own account, not a finding.
What do independent records show?
Judgment of the Sixth Criminal Section in the original Ruby case
Court of Cassation, 10 March 2015
Rejected the Milan prosecutor general's appeal and confirmed the July 2014 appeal court acquittal, which overturned his 24 June 2013 first-instance conviction for concussione (extortion by a public official) and for the offence of prostitution involving a minor.3,4
Verdict in the Ruby ter proceedings
Tribunale di Milano, seventh criminal section, presided by Marco Tremolada, 15 February 2023
Acquitted Berlusconi and his co-defendants because the alleged offense did not exist (il fatto non sussiste). The court held that the women could not be treated as witnesses because they should have been heard as suspects with lawyers, so there could be no false testimony.2,5
Appeal on points of law to the Court of Cassation (reported)
Milan public prosecutor's office, 29 June 2023
Prosecutors challenged the acquittals of 23 co-defendants. Berlusconi, who had died on 12 June 2023, was no longer part of the proceedings.5,6
Judgment n. 2231/2025 of the Sixth Criminal Section on the prosecutors' direct appeal (hearing 14 October 2024, reasons filed 20 January 2025)
Court of Cassation, 14 October 2024
Annulled without remand the acquittals of 21 defendants on the false testimony charge (article 372 of the criminal code) because the offence was extinguished by limitation. Annulled the acquittals of 22 defendants on the charge of corruption in judicial acts (article 319-ter) and sent those counts to the Milan Court of Appeal for a new trial. The rest of the appeal was declared inadmissible. Berlusconi is not a defendant in the ruling, which notes his death.5,7,8
What was established?
- The Milan court acquitted Berlusconi in the Ruby ter case on 15 February 2023 with the formula il fatto non sussiste.2,5
- His acquittal in the original Ruby case became final on 10 March 2015.3,4
- Prosecutors' appeal of June 2023 concerned co-defendants only, because Berlusconi had died, and the Court of Cassation's 14 October 2024 ruling ordering a new appeal trial does not include him.5,6
Distinctions that matter here
- The formula il fatto non sussiste is an acquittal on the merits, not a dismissal because of the statute of limitations.
- The acquittal rested partly on a procedural point about the status of the women as witnesses.
- The 2024 Cassation ruling annulled acquittals of other defendants. It is not a ruling on Berlusconi, whose acquittal was not appealed.
Was liability determined?
No. The subject was acquitted. Acquitted at first instance in Milan on 15 February 2023 because the alleged offense did not exist. The acquittal was not appealed as to him because he died on 12 June 2023 before prosecutors filed their appeal. He was also cleared in related witness-bribery trials in Siena and Rome according to Reuters.2,3,5,6,8
What remains unresolved?
- The new appeal trial of 22 co-defendants on the charge of corruption in judicial acts was continuing before the Milan Court of Appeal as of May 2026, with no verdict identified as of 30 October 2026. Any finding in that trial would concern the co-defendants and would not alter Berlusconi's acquittal.
What is the current status?
As of 30 October 2026 Berlusconi's Ruby ter acquittal of 15 February 2023 stands. A retrial on appeal of co-defendants, ordered by the Court of Cassation on 14 October 2024, does not include him.2,5,6,9,10
As of 30 October 2026. No next proceeding is scheduled in the records we found.
Timeline
- Court of Cassation makes final his acquittal in the original Ruby case.3
- Milan court acquits Berlusconi in the Ruby ter case.1,2,5
- Berlusconi dies.9
- Milan prosecutors appeal directly to the Court of Cassation against the acquittals of 23 co-defendants.6
- Court of Cassation orders a new appeal trial for 22 co-defendants on the judicial corruption charge and declares the false testimony charge time-barred.5,7,8
- Court of Cassation files the reasons for its 14 October 2024 ruling (judgment n. 2231/2025).5
- Milan Court of Appeal hears defence requests to reopen evidence in the co-defendants' appeal trial.10
Sources
- BusinessDay, Berlusconi acquitted in starlet bribery trial (Reuters), 15 February 2023 Independent reporting
- Il Post, Silvio Berlusconi e stato assolto in primo grado nel processo Ruby ter, 15 February 2023 Independent reporting
- Investing.com, Factbox: Berlusconi's many court battles, one sole conviction (Reuters), 15 February 2023 Independent reporting
- Il Post, L'assoluzione di Silvio Berlusconi, 10 March 2015 Independent reporting
- Corte Suprema di Cassazione (copy published by Sistema Penale), Corte Suprema di Cassazione, Sesta Sezione Penale, sentenza n. 2231/2025 (hearing 14 October 2024, filed 20 January 2025), Ruby ter, 20 January 2025 · document record Court, legislation, official register or regulator record
- L'Adige, Ruby ter, pm Milano ricorrono in Cassazione contro assoluzioni (ANSA), 29 June 2023 Independent reporting
- Sky TG24, Ruby Ter, la Cassazione ordina un nuovo processo, 14 October 2024 Independent reporting
- Il Sussidiario, Ruby ter, Cassazione annulla le assoluzioni: disposto appello per corruzione, 14 October 2024 Independent reporting
- ANSA, Silvio Berlusconi has died aged 86, 12 June 2023 Independent reporting
- AGI, Ruby ter: le difese delle 'olgettine' chiedono di riaprire il processo, 28 May 2026 Independent reporting
Revision history
- 30 October 2026: Added the Court of Cassation judgment of 20 January 2025 and corrected the number of co-defendants on the remand to 22.
- 30 October 2026: First published after source verification.
Related: Silvio Berlusconi, criminal prosecution, judicial corruption allegations, Italy. To submit a document or request a correction, see right of reply.