Berlusconi planned infamous ‘bunga bunga’ party hours before probe

LONDON - A series of leaked SMS texts have shown that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was planning to host one of his infamous ‘bunga bunga’ parties just hours before prosecutors revealed he was under investigation.

Berlusconi, 74, was referred to by his nickname “Papi” in the texts between Anglo-Italian regional councillor Nicole Minetti, 25, who is said to have been the chief recruiter of the girls, and two other women.

The messages had been exchanged on January 13, a day before the investigation was revealed, and they gave details of how the party had been planned for the up coming Saturday night.

“Papi is here Saturday,” the Daily Mail quoted TV star Marystell Garcia Polanco, as writing in the first message.

To which Mintetti replied: “How do you know he is here Saturday?”

At the same time Minetti, whose mother Georgina Reed was born in Britain and runs a dance studio in Rimini, sent a message to Floriana Marincea.

“He’s here Saturday. We absolutely must be there. Do you have a pretty friend we can take?” she wrote.

Minutes later Marincea texts back: “Yes, I’ll find someone, pretty.”

Minetti asked: “Who is it?”

Marincea replied: “She’s very trustworthy, good looking. I’ve known her since she was 14 and she’s now 25.”

The details emerged from mobile telephone intercepts that prosecutors in Milan have carried out as part of their investigation into allegations that Berlusconi had sex with an under age prostitute Karima El Mahroug, now 18, last year at a party he hosted. (ANI)