Rome ( CNN ) -- An Italian sex scandal that spawned nationwide demonstrations over the premier 's alleged abuse of power and paying an underage girl for sex began at a dinner party in Milan with a Moroccan-born dancer nicknamed `` Ruby Heartbreaker . '' The dancer , Karima El Mahrough , was 17 years old at the time of the alleged sexual encounter with Italy 's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi , according to prosecutors in Milan . The leggy performer , who has since appeared in scantily clad photographs across the country , told the Italian news channel Sky TG24 that she had lied about her age before meeting Berlusconi for a dinner party at his private residence near Milan . `` He knew that I was 24 years old because I told everyone that I was 24 years old , '' she said . `` I did n't want people to know that I was a minor . '' It was during that first encounter on Valentine 's Day in 2010 that El Mahrough said she received 7,000 euros ( about $ 9,300 ) after a friend informed Berlusconi that she needed help . Both have denied allegations of having sex . `` Absolutely no , '' El Mahrough said . `` I just arrived in Milan , and it was a little difficult living there , '' she said , claiming that Berlusconi gave her the money to help support herself financially . The friend `` spoke with ( Berlusconi ) and explained my situation , my story , my family situation , '' she said . `` And he helped me . '' But an investigation into their relationship burgeoned after the prime minister urged police to release her when she was arrested on theft charges . El Mahrough said that after the arrest , she was visited by dancer Michelle Oliveira and regional lawmaker Nicole Minetti , whom prosecutors have tried to link to the allegations against the prime minister . El Mahrough said Minetti then called Berlusconi `` to explain how things went , '' handing her the phone `` so that I could thank him . '' In their conversation , El Mahrough described the premier as `` bitter '' because `` he had allowed someone to enter his house trustingly . '' `` I did n't know about this famous call of the premier to the police , '' El Mahrough told Sky TG24 . `` I learned it from the newspapers . '' Investigators say they later questioned the dancer 's former roommate , who claimed El Mahrough had confided in her , describing the details of her sexual relationship with the Italian premier . Berlusconi , 74 , denied allegations surrounding his relationship with El Mahrough as well as his alleged abuses of power , arguing that his phone call to police was a case of mistaken identity . His party has argued that Berlusconi believed El Mahrough was a relative of then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and that he called the police station on her behalf to avoid a possible diplomatic crisis with Egypt . But little is known about the dancer whose involvement in the scandal helped catalyze demonstrations against Italy 's premier and his penchant for dinner parties attended by `` pretty girls , '' according to local media reports and accounts by lawmaker Minetti . El Mahrough reportedly said on the Italian talk show `` Kalispera '' -- owned by Berlusconi -- that she was a victim of child abuse and became a runaway before landing a job dancing at nightclubs . The scandal has made El Mahrough , now 18 , a national figure . Meanwhile , Berlusconi has been ordered to stand trial in April , when he will face a three-judge panel . All of them are women . CNN 's Hada Messia contributed to this report .
Berlusconi is accused of having sex with a dancer called ` ` ' Heartbreaker '' The dancer was 17 years old at the time of the alleged sexual encounter . Both have denied allegations of having sex . Berlusconi will stand trial in April , when he will face a three - judge panel .