Munich - Amidst a sea of camera flashes, the trial began Monday of the smooth-talking Swiss gigolo accused of blackmailing Germany's reputedly richest woman. Helg Sgarbi, 44, is accused of trying to extort 14 million euros (17.5 million dollars) from BMW car heiress Susanne Klatten after he threatened to publicize secret video recordings of them having sex.
At the start of the trial, the court agreed to a request from the defence that the names of three other women allegedly seduced and defrauded by Sgarbi were not disclosed during the court proceedings.
The case was initiated when Klatten, a publicity-shy mother-of- three, went to the police and exposed Sgarbo, who had tricked her into parting with 7 million euros.
Klatten, 46, is reputedly Germany's richest woman, with a large stake in BMW as well as a pharmaceuticals company.
Sgarbi, who has been in custody since his arrest in Vomp, Austria last year, faces four counts of serious fraud and two charges of attempted blackmail.
Media claim Sgarbi was a serial seducer who approached his wealthy victims at luxury hotels and duped them into thinking he loved them.
He persuaded them to give him millions of euros by inventing stories about needing money to pay compensation for a child he injured in a car accident.
The trial is expected to last until early April. German law punishes serious fraud with up to 10 years' prison and blackmail with up to 15 years.
