Berlusconi's woman causes stir at ball for the super rich

The TV cameras were told to ignore her, and Austria's rich and powerful sought to avoid her.

But amid all the bling on display at the Vienna Opera Ball, most eyes were still on one particular jewel - Ruby.

With Ruby, aka Karima el-Mahroug, at the centre of the scandal plaguing Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, her appearance at Austria's ball of balls on Thursday was a sensation most of the wealthy and influential guests present would have been happy to do without.

Image: Ruby arrives with her host Austrian businessman Richard Lugner for the ball.

Text and Images: AP