Silvio Berlusconi: Here is how much the former Italian PM was worth, and who will inherit

Silvio Berlusconi passed away on June 12, 2023, after revealing this year he suffered from leukaemia. The former Prime Minister had many jobs, including president of the football club AC Milan, media magnate and multi-billionaire.

He was known for his political roles, but also for his (perhaps too) many controversies and scandals. Nicknamed 'il Cavaliere' (meaning The Knight), Silvio Berlusconi was sitting on a very comfortable fortune, which will now benefit his heirs.

Silvio Berlusconi was a jack-of-all-trades turned billionaire

Before he became the powerful man who turned politics, football, and the media upside down in his country and in Europe, Silvio Berlusconi had a string of odd jobs alongside his law studies. Indeed, 'Il Cavaliere' has worked as a wedding photographer, as a household appliance salesman, as a bartender, and as a cruise ship singer. These jobs did not make him the billionaire he was when he died, but they helped him make ends meet throughout his studies.

Silvio Berlusconi's business adventure began in 1961 with his Milan-based construction company. Together with his business partner Pietro Canali, they built several residential districts for up to 4,000 people in the capital of Lombardy. Fourteen years later, he launched his first television channel for the Milanese public: Telemilano. Many successes followed for the Milan native.

In 1977, he was made a 'Knight of the Order of Labor Merit', earning him the nickname 'il Cavaliere'. A year later, he founded his holding company Fininvest, which went on to become Italy's second-largest privately-owned group, just behind Fiat, the Italian flagship.

Through his group, Silvio Berlusconi owned:

• 3 television channels with his Mediaset group
• Mondadori, Italy's largest publisher
• Banks and insurance companies
• Medusa, the largest advertising agency in the film industry

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Silvio Berlusconi went from businessman to politician

But that's not all. In addition to his business acumen, Silvio Berlusconi has also enjoyed success in politics. At the head of his Forza Italia party, he became the face of the country's leading political force for several years. He had the opportunity to be Italy's Prime Minister on three occasions:

• Between May 11, 1994, and January 17, 1995 ;
• Between June 11, 2001, and May 17, 2006 ;
• Between May 8, 2008, and November 16, 2011.

As head of government, he also served several times as Minister of Foreign Affairs (January 2002 - November 2002), Minister of Economy and Finance (July 3-16, 2004 and May 8-17, 2006), Minister of Health (March 2006 - May 2006), and Minister of Economic Development (May 2010 - October 2010).

In addition to his ministerial posts in and at the head of government, he has also served as a member of Parliament, senator and member of the European Parliament. A career that has been as successful in business as it has been in politics.

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Silvio Berlusconi was the legendary president of AC Milan

In addition to his political and business career, Silvio Berlusconi was also known as a great football fan, and above all a huge fan of his hometown club, AC Milan. In 1986, when the Rossoneri was in financial difficulties, he bought the club. Under his leadership, AC Milan regained its former glory and became a legendary club in Italy and Europe. Between 1986 and 2016, when he sold his shares in the club to Chinese investors, the Milanese mogul won five Champions Leagues.

He made all Milan fans, and football fans in general, dream by bringing in legendary players such as Ronaldinho, Kaka and Andriyv Chevtchenko to the Lombardy capital, and was also very close to local legend Paolo Maldini. Even though he sold AC Milan in 2016, the football fan couldn't stop himself from buying the Societá Sportiva Monza 1912, an Italian 3rd division club.

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How wealthy is Silvio Berlusconi?

After 86 years of success and scandals, Silvio Berlusconi died of leukaemia on June 12, 2023. As a businessman, politician, club president, the controversial figure, who was adored by some, and hated by others, had it all, and his bank account can show for it.

Indeed, 'Il Cavaliere' was sitting on a huge fortune! In 2004, Forbes magazine ranked him as Italy's richest person, with an estimated fortune of $12 billion. Although the value of his assets has withstood economic and health crises, he has remained a billionaire. Last April, Forbes estimated Silvio Berlusconi's personal fortune at $6.8 billion. A staggering figure, but one that only ranked him sixth among Italy's richest men.

A huge sum of money, which will now be managed by his heirs. These include his five children, but also his ex-wife Veronica Lario, who was awarded an enormous alimony when they divorced.

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This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag FR.

Sources used:

Forbes: Inside The Life And Fortune Of Late Italian Billionaire Silvio Berlusconi