Model who mysteriously died after testifying against Silvio Berlusconi’s ‘Bunga Bunga sex parties’ may have been POISONED, prosecutor claims
A MODEL who died after testifying at Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" sex parties trial may have been poisoned after high levels of metals used in nuclear reactors were found in her blood.
Tests showed the amount of cadmium found in Imane Fadil's body was seven times greater than normal, according to Italian prosecutor Francesco Greco.
She also had three times the normal amount of antimony in her system, the lawyer claimed.
Swallowing even small amounts of cadmium, which is used in batteries and nuclear reactors, can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, joint pains and even organ failure.
Antimony is also used in batteries, as well as munitions, paint, glass and plastics.
POISONING FEARS
Officials also fear the Moroccan model may have been exposed to radioactive substances, but are not ruling out that she died from a rare disease.
Fadil, 34, testified in court against former Italian PM Berlusconi, who was accused of paying underage girls to perform erotic acts.
She was admitted to hospital a month ago — telling her lawyer and brother she feared she had been poisoned.
Fadil, who was planning to write a book about the scandal, died just over two weeks ago but her death was kept secret.
Francesco Greco said after her death: “Initial medical record checks suggest some form of poisoning so we are having a full autopsy performed. She died after a month of agony.”
CADMIUM FOUND IN BLOOD
Berlusconi, 82, was eventually cleared but has since been accused of bribing witnesses.
Berlusconi told the : "It's always a pity when a young person dies. I never met this person, never talked to her.'
He added: 'What I read of her statements made me think that everything was invented, absurd."
According to Italy's , the hospital had run a battery of tests but, after finding nothing, sent samples to a specialised lab in the northern town of Pavia.
Initial medical record checks suggest some form of poisoning so we are having a full autopsy performed
Francesco Greco
The results showed "a mixture of radioactive substances which are not normally available for purchase", the paper said, citing unnamed sources.
Fadil first hit the headlines in 2012 when she testified about what she'd witnessed at Berlusconi's sex parties at his villa in Arcore near Milan.
She said that the first time she went to a party, she saw two young women dressed as nuns stripping in front of Berlusconi.
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He later handed her 2,000 euros (£1,700) in cash and told her: "Don't be offended," she claimed.
Berlusconi has faced a number of charges over the "Rubygate" scandal linked to his parties and the underage prostitute ,Karima El-Mahroug, also known as "Ruby the heart-stealer".
Now 82, the billionaire businessman is on trial for paying a witness to give false testimony about his parties.
Killer Cadmium
Cadmium is a heavy metal produced during the smelting of other metals, such as zinc lead and copper.
It's used to make nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries found in mobile phones. It is also used in metal plating, some paints, plastics and fertilisers, and is found in cigarette smoke.
Eating food or drink contaminated with high levels of cadmium can cause stomach irritation, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Headaches and flu-like symptoms, swelling of the throat and tingling hands may also occur.
If consumed over a long period of time, cadmium can lead to kidney disease and cause bones to become weaker.
Large amounts of cadmium can damage the kidneys, liver and heart and in severe cases may cause death.
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