In further proof that seemingly nothing can bring Silvio Berlusconi down -- not even a potential jail sentence -- Italy's most colorful public figure is back in contention to lead his country for a fourth time.

Another spell in Italy's highest office would be just the latest chapter in the life of the charming, billionaire three-time former prime minister.

In October Berlusconi was sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion, but has since appealed the verdict.

Until recently, Berlusconi appeared to be leading a charmed life. His vast business empire spanned media, construction and football, making him the 118th-richest person in the world, according to Forbes, with a net worth of $6.2 billion, and he was Italy's longest-serving post-war prime minister before quitting in 2011.

But last year he became embroiled in charges that he had paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl; his coalition government became ever more fragile; and Berlusconi resigned his premiership as Europe's financial crisis threatened to embroil Italy.

Despite the many scandals that have dogged Berlusconi since he entered politics nearly two decades ago, the 76-year-old is indisputably one of life's survivors. In Parliament, opponents tabled 51 confidence votes in him in the past three years alone, but Italians have thrice elected him as prime minister.

In this election Berlusconi is appealing to tax-burdened Italians' desire for some relief. He has promised not only to abolish the hugely unpopular property tax on primary residences, known as the IMU, he is also promising to pay back the property taxes people have already paid.

Berlusconi is also vowing to cut corporate taxes and income taxes and spend the economy out of the recession.

However his promises have met with considerable skepticism. Prominent journalist Gad Lerner has long been critical of the former prime minister. "Berlusconi has transformed Italian politics into a big show and he is always looking for a spectacular center for his propaganda."

Businessman Gianvencenzo Coppi traveled to Rome to hear center-left rival, Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani, talk about his commitment to the private sector, but he told CNN he hadn't made up his mind whom he would vote for, but it was unlikely to be Berlusconi.

"He's making promises in my opinion he cannot maintain," said Coppi. "He's promising to cut taxes, the IMU ... and no one knows in which way he can do it."

Cruise ship crooner

Born in Milan in 1936, Berlusconi gave notice early on of his showman side by working as a lounge room crooner aboard a cruise ship to help fund his university tuition -- he studied law.

Various low-level commercial enterprises followed before the fledgling entrepreneur enjoyed his first real success in property development in the late 1960s when he was involved in a project to build Milano Two -- nearly 4,000 flats -- outside Milan.

After amassing a fortune from his property portfolio in the 1970s, he diversified his interests by setting up a TV cable company, Telemilano, and buying two other cable channels in an effort to break the national TV monopoly in Italy. In 1978, these channels were incorporated into his newly formed Fininvest group, which included department stores, insurance companies and even AC Milan -- one of the world's biggest football clubs.

Berlusconi turned his attention to politics in 1993 when he formed the center-right Forza Italia Party and the following year, in a snap election, he won the post of prime minister. However, a dispute with his right-wing coalition partners from the Northern League Party, as well as an indictment for alleged tax fraud, ended Berlusconi's tenure in the job after barely seven months. He was acquitted on appeal in 2000 after the statute of limitations had expired.

After defeat in the 1996 election to his political nemesis, Romano Prodi, he became embroiled in other financial scandals, including a charge of bribing tax inspectors. He denied any wrongdoing and was cleared again on appeal in 2000.

His fortunes turned again in 2001 when he was sworn in as prime minister for a second time. But Prodi -- a former European Commission president -- ended Berlusconi's more successful reign with his center-left Union coalition victory in 2006. At that time, the tycoon had presided over the longest-serving post-war Italian government.

Return to power

Despite having a pacemaker implanted to regulate his heartbeat after he collapsed during a political rally, he refused to slow down. Sporting a hair transplant, cosmetic surgery and a tan, Berlusconi returned to power for a third time in 2008 under the banner of the newly created People of Freedom party.