The ‘Swiss gigolo’ who seduced rich women and then blackmailed them out of millions of Euros has been sentenced to six years in jail.

Helg Sgarbi’s victims included BMW heiress Susanne Klatten, who had handed over more than €7m.

And Sgarbi – nicknamed the ‘Swiss gigolo’ by the media – had faced up to ten years in prison at his trial in Munich.

But a courtroom confession in which he expressed regret over his crimes persuaded the judge to pass down a more lenient sentence.

It had meant that the victims would not have to give potentially embarrassing evidence in court.

He has no chance of an early release, however, as he has not given any clues to where the missing money is hidden.

Authorities have recovered around €1.2m in Italy, where some of it was hidden behind a wall, as well as houses in Pescara and Egypt, cars and furniture.

According to the BBC, prosecutor Anton Winkler said that Sgarbi extorted money out of his victims by saying he would release “compromising material”.

"In one case he said the material was stolen from him by the Mafia and now the Mafia was asking for money, but later he asked directly for money," Mr Winkler said.

"In the second case he directly blackmailed his victim and told her that he had pictures. He told her, 'pay or I go public with the pictures and your privacy'."

Three of the women seduced by dad-of-one Sgarbi had their identities hidden, but Mrs Klatten – who owns a 12.5 per cent stake in German car giant BMW - agreed for her name to be released.

Susanne Klatten, a victim of 'Swiss gigolo' Helg Sgarbi, has told BILD she was right to go public about the blackmail.

Swiss gigolo Helg Sgarbi is refusing to reveal where he hid the missing blackmail money.

Ernano Berratta has gone on trial in Italy accused by being Swiss gigolo Helg Sgarbi's blackmail accomplice.

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