Berlusconi rival seeking $41M in moral damages

MILAN (AP) — An Italian industrialist's company says it is suing Silvio Berlusconi's holding company for $41 million on top of the nearly $687,000,000 it was previously awarded.

The CIR Group said in a statement Wednesday it was seeking moral damages for a corruption case involving the purchase of the Mondadori publishing house.

Industrialist Carlo De Benedetti, whose holdings include the Espresso editorial group, lost ownership of Mondadori to Berlusconi in a bitter legal fight. Three Berlusconi associates and a judge were convicted in 2007 of corruption in the case, leading to the separate civil damage claim.

Berlusconi and his family have contested the allegations and the damages.