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A Timeline Of Key Probes And Trials For Berlusconi

Key criminal cases and trials for Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi since the media mogul went into politics in January 1994:

November 1994 - Premier Silvio Berlusconi is placed under investigation for allegedly bribing Italian tax authorities as head of his media and retailing empire.

997 - Convicted of false bookkeeping during 1987 acquisition of a film distribution company and given 16-month suspended sentence. Acquitted on appeal.

1999 - Cleared by an appeals court after statute of limitations expires on accusations he funneled money through All Iberian holding company to fund Socialist party of close friend and former Premier Bettino Craxi in 1991. A lower court had convicted him and sentenced him to 28 months in prison for corruption and making illegal party contributions.

2001 - Statute of limitations run out on accusations of bribing a judge during 1992 legal battle for control of Mondadori publishing company, which eventually became part of his media empire.

2001 - Italy's highest appeals court acquits him of charges he bribed tax officials to obtain favorable audits of Fininvest companies, after he was convicted in initial 1998 trial and sentenced to two years.

2002 - A new law that partially decriminalizes false bookkeeping and reducing statute of limitations helps to clear Berlusconi in a case where he was charged with false bookkeeping in 1992 transfer of a soccer star to his AC Milan club.

2004 - Acquitted on one count while statute of limitations expires on another count in case of allegedly bribing judges to sway sale of state food conglomerate SME in the 1980s.

2005 - Milan court clears him of charges of false booking in political party funding case.

2007 - Milan judge throws out embezzlement, tax fraud and false accounting charges against him in case involving purchase of TV rights of U.S. movies by his Mediaset empire, rules statute of limitations expires in a case that involves British lawyer David Mills.

2007 - U.S. federal judge rules that authorities in Italy cannot use evidence seized from home and office of Hollywood producer in fraud case against Berlusconi.

2007 - Italy's highest criminal court upholds acquittal of Berlusconi of corruption charges in the SME sale case.

2007 - Milan court throws out charge of false accounting in connection with Mediaset's purchase of TV movie rights due to expiration of statute of limitations.

2008 - Milan court clears him of false accounting charge related to SME sale, ruling allegations did not constitute false accounting under new law passed by Berlusconi's government.

2010 - Italy's top criminal court overturns guilty verdict for David Mills, accused of taking bribe to lie in court in 1990s to protect Berlusconi; rules statute of limitations expire.

Feb. 15, 2011 - Milan judge rules trial to be held April 6 for Berlusconi on accusations he paid an underage girl for sex and used his office to try to cover it up.

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