In the end, it wasn't bunga-bunga sex parties that brought down Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: Instead, it's Italy's massive debt crisis that provoked the controversial leader's resignation.

Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis

ormer Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud on Friday. The disgraced former leader has been involved in a number of trials related to alleged corruption during his time in office, but until now he has avoided convictions or had cases dropped because of judicial time limits. Berlusconi is expected to appeal the verdict, which stems from a trial that focused on the purchase of rights to show U.S. films on television. He is also still on trial on charges of paying underage woman for sex and abusing his office as prime minister to try to cover it up.

Update: The court has reportedly reduced Berlusconi's sentence to one year, citing a 2006 law aimed at reducing prison overcrowding.