Italian sex scandal prostitute found dead

The body of a transsexual involved in a scandal that brought down an Italian regional governor was found among the remains of a house fire in Rome today.

Police said the corpse in a basement apartment was known as Brenda, one of two transsexuals linked to former Lazio governor Piero Marrazzo.

She appeared to have died from smoke inhalation.

Four policemen have been arrested for allegedly attempting to blackmail Marrazzo, found with a transsexual prostitute in July. Marrazzo subsequently resigned.

The scandal dealt a blow to left-wingers, the main opposition to Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s conservatives.