Report: Berlusconi's wife seeking multi-million euro divorce deal

Nov 26, 2009, 9:28 GMT

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi`s estranged wife, Veronica Lario, is seeking a 43-million euro (64-million dollar) a year divorce settlement, according to a newspaper report Thursday.

The sum is around 10 times more than media magnate-turned- politician Berlusconi is prepared to offer, the Milan daily Corriere della Sera said, citing unidentified sources.

Lario's lawyer, Maria Cristina Morelli said she would not comment on the case.

The 53-year-old Lario announced plans to end her near 20-year marriage in May, a few days after reports that the 73-year-old Berlusconi had attended the birthday party of an 18-year-old sometime lingerie model.

Lario accused her husband of consorting with underage women. Berlusconi said she was duped by a left-wing media smear campaign, and denied ever having 'spicy' relations with minors.

Berlusconi, who is listed as Italy`s third richest man by Forbes magazine, controls the country`s largest private television network and has luxury homes in Sardinia and the Caribbean.

He met Lario when she was a budding actress and he was still married to his first wife. Three children were born from the relationship before Berlusconi and Lario decided to marry in 1990.

In June, Berlusconi became embroiled in another sex scandal when a self-described escort claimed she spent a night with him after she and other women were allegedly paid to attend parties at the premier`s residence in Rome,

The escort Patrizia D`Addario`s autobiography, including several lurid details regarding the premier`s alleged sexual habits, went on sale in Italy this week.

Berlusconi has denied ever paying for sex and has threatened to sue D`Addario.