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Cesare Previti




Cesare Previti (born on October 21 , 1934 ) is an Italian politician, and former Minister Of Defense .


BIOGRAPHY

Born in Reggio Calabria , he grew up in Rome , where he started practicing law. In 1971 he became acquainted with Silvio Berlusconi , the construction magnate, later to be media mogul and Prime Minister Of Italy . He was the administrator of the property of a nineteen-year-old girl, whose father, the Marquess Casati Stampa, had killed her mother and her mother's lover before committing suicide in a celebrated case. In this capacity he engineered the sale of her villa in Arcore to Berlusconi, for 500 million lire. Many people would later cry foul, claiming that the amount was insufficient by far.

After that, Previti worked for Berlusconi's own Fininvest company, and acquired a reputation as a ruthless, if extremely capable, lawyer.

In 1994 , after Berlusconi had founded his Forza Italia political party, Previti won election to the Senate . Berlusconi, upon forming his first Cabinet, would have wanted him as Minister Of Justice , but President Of The Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro was opposed on account of Previti's allegedly shady dealings, so ultimately it was decided he should exchange portfolios with Alfredo Biondi , who had been earmarked for Defence. Thus Previti became the Minister of Defence in Berlusconi's first government, from May to December, 1994 (serving until January, 1995 as caretaker).

Previti was elected to the Chamber Of Deputies , again for Forza Italia, both in 1996 and in 2001 , but was investigated, together with Berlusconi, for allegedly bribing judges in a series of high-profile cases relating to his years of service as Berlusconi's attorney, before entering politics. Previti strenuously defended his record, claiming the judges were politically motivated.

In the "Sme" case, he was sentenced to five years in jail on 's personal account to the one of his lawyer Previti and later to the judge's one.

In the "Imi-Sir" case, he was sentenced to eleven years in jail on April 29 , 2003 and he appealed. He was later sentenced to seven years on May 23 , 2005 , but he appealed again.