Silvio Berlusconi received new and heavy accusations about relationships between him and the Sicilian Mafia dating back to the early 90s, reports Italy’s Corriere della Sera.

The most recent claims from Massimo Ciancimino (son of the former Palermo mayor accused of collaborating with Cosa Nostra) state that the Italian PM’s political party, Forza Italia, was created in 1992 after a long negotiation between the Mafia and the state. The birth of the party would be a mechanism to help both Berlusconi and the Mafia enrich themselves and accumulate power.

The accusations were supported by a “pizzino” (Mafia slang for a little message written on a small piece of paper) sent by the former Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano to Silvio Berlusconi and his right-hand man Marcello Dell’Utri (already convicted for associating with the Mafia).

“My father said that the relationship between the Mafia and Forza Italia were significant, and that Berlusconi was representing Provenzano’s will.  On one hand, the Prime Minister solved many of his problems at the national level, and on the other hand Provenzano promised the Mafia’s help for his party. In the years since, the two entities grew their businesses and their relationship lasted for years.”

Massimo Ciancimino continues to accuse Berlusconi but now he even has evidence.  If all this were to be true, Italy would now be facing the biggest scandal in the history of the Italian republic.

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