An Italian court today began closed-door hearings to decide whether to indict Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and 13 others for alleged fraud at his family's broadcaster, Mediaset.
If charged, the media tycoon-turned-politician could find himself on trial during what is likely to be a close-fought general election next April.
None of the accused were present the hearing, which followed a four-year investigation by Milan prosecutors into claims of embezzlement, false accounting, tax fraud and money laundering in a disputed television rights deal.
At the outset of the hearing, Mr Berlusconi's lawyers handed Judge Fabio Paparella a letter from the prime minister, a legal source said without divulging its contents.
Mr Berlusconi; corporate lawyer David Mills, husband of British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowel; and the others involved in the case have all denied wrongdoing.
The most serious crime alleged by prosecutors is money laundering, which carries a possible sentence of four to 12 years.
For Mr Berlusconi, the most serious accusation is tax fraud, which carries a sentence of up to six years. Under Italian law, public prosecutors investigate suspected crimes but it is up to a judge to decide whether the accused are charged and must stand trial.