Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's scandal-ridden ex-prime minister, dies at 86

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's longest-serving prime minister whose reign was marred by scandals and allegations of corruption, died Monday, according to his television network. He was 86.

Mediaset, Italy's largest commercial broadcaster,  features a photo on its homepage of its smiling founder, Berlusconi, with the headline "Silvio Berlusconi has died," as translated.

He was admitted on Friday to the hospital in Milan for treatment of chronic leukemia, but he suffered from numerous other health ailments over the years including heart issues, prostate cancer and a severe case of COVID-19, according to The Associated Press.

The three-time prime minister was the subject of criminal cases, which largely ended in dismissals over the statute of limitations or with his victory in appeals. Berlusconi was only convicted once in a tax fraud case in 2013, and under anti-corruption laws, he lost his Senate seat and was banned from public office for six years.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.