Silvio Berlusconi, billionaire media mogul and former Italian prime minister, dies at 86

Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire media mogul who served arsenic Italian premier curate 3 times betwixt 1994 and 2011, has died. He was 86.

Berlusconi died astatine the San Raffaele infirmary successful Milan, according to section media. CNBC was not instantly capable to verify the reports.

He served arsenic Italian premier curate 3 times — from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011 — and since 2019 had served arsenic a subordinate of the European Parliament, wherever helium besides worked from 1999 to 2001.

His Forza Italia enactment is presently a inferior spouse successful Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's ruling right-wing coalition.

Berlusconi suffered from respective superior ailments, including Covid-19, which resulted successful repeated hospitalizations opening successful September 2020.

Last month, the tycoon was discharged from infirmary wherever helium received six weeks of attraction for a lung corruption linked to chronic leukemia.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said via Twitter that Berlusconi's decease leaves a "huge void" and marked the extremity of an era.

"I loved him precise much. Goodbye Silvio," Crosetto said, according to a translation.

Born Sept. 29, 1936, Berlusconi faced galore scandals and trials implicit taxation schemes and intersexual escapades. He was erstwhile convicted, but aboriginal cleared, of charges of having enactment with an underage nightclub dancer, Karima El-Mahroug, astatine 1 of his chaotic "bunga bunga" parties.  

Berlusconi was the controlling shareholder of Mediaset, Italy's largest commercialized broadcaster.
In June 2023, his luck was estimated astatine astir $7 billion. He besides owned the Italian shot nine A.C. Milan from 1986 to 2017.

At a 2009 run rally during his past stint arsenic premier, helium was struck successful the look by a mentally sick antheral wielding a statuette of the Milan cathedral. The bloody onslaught broke Berlusconi's nose, chopped his articulator and knocked retired 2 teeth.

His 9 years arsenic premier curate made him the third-longest caput of authorities successful Italy aft fascist dictators Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Giolitti.

He had promised — but failed — to merchantability his assets successful Mediaset erstwhile helium was premier minister.

In 2013, Berlusconi was convicted connected charges that helium paid for enactment with the 17-year-old El-Mahroug astatine 1 of his parties and was sentenced to 7 years successful situation and banned from nationalist bureau for life. Two years later, Italy's highest tribunal ordered him acquitted. 

Berlusconi was joined doubly and had 5 children.

— CNBC's Sam Meredith contributed to this report.