The hero of Italy’s reconstruction efforts after last year’s earthquake faces allegations that he received sexual favors from masseurs and prostitutes in return for awarding lucrative building contracts to corrupt businessmen.

Italian investigators claim to have telephone intercepts in which Guido Bertolaso, whom Silvio Berlusco0ni had been tapped to be made a minister, allegedly enjoyed “not only massages but full sexual services” at a fitness and health center in Rome.

Prosecutors in Florence, who are in charge of the investigation, alleged that businessman Diego Anemone, 39, organized what they called in a report “mega-galactic sex parties” for Bertolaso, whose hard work and sober image had endeared him to millions of Italians.

Anemone, who owns the health center, was one of four men arrested in connection with the allegations.

Investigators allege that “on numerous occasions Bertolaso. . . made use of sexual services” provided by women at the health centre.

In November 2008,, during an intercepted telephone call to the center’s manager, he allegedly said: “I just landed from the United States. . . if Francesca is available this afternoon. . . I would love to have a good going over.”

Bertolaso, 59, the head of Italy’s highly respected Civil Protection Department and a trusted aide to the prime minister, emerged as a national hero for his handling of the April 2009 earthquake which devastated the city of L’Aquila in central Italy, killing 300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

To read full London Telegraph story — Go Here Now.