Berlusconi Adds $1.5 Billion to Fortune as Legal Setbacks Mount

Silvio Berlusconi’s fortune has increased by $1.5 billion this year even as the former Italian prime minister lost four criminal-court judgments since January.

The 76-year-old senator, convicted of tax fraud last week, ranked 33rd among year-to-date percentage gainers on the 200-person Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of Aug. 7, two spots above Warren Buffett. His wealth rose 26 percent to $7.6 billion. The advance was powered by gains in his insurer, Mediolanum SpA, whose shares returned 53 percent in Milan, and broadcaster Mediaset SpA, which has more than doubled.