IMF chief charged with sexual assault, attempted rape (Third Lead)

May 15th, 2011 - 7:59 pm ICT by IANS  

New York, May 15 (IANS) The chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been formally charged here with a criminal sexual act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment following a complaint by a hotel maid, police said here Sunday.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 62, was arrested in New York Saturday after being accused of sexually attacking a 32-year-old maid at the Sofitel New York hotel near Manhattan’s Times Square, Sky News reported.

The alleged attack took place when the maid entered Strauss-Kahn’s presumed-unoccupied suite. But when she walked into the room, Strauss-Kahn allegedly came out of the bathroom naked and attempted to sexually assault her, police said.

New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesman Paul Browne said police had been called to the hotel shortly after the alleged incident.

Strauss-Kahn had already left the hotel, leaving behind his mobile phone and other personal items.

“It looked like he got out of there in a hurry,” Browne said.

Detectives found he was at the John F. Kennedy International Airport and contacted the Port Authority, who took the IMF chief from an Air France flight.

Three Port Authority detectives pulled Strauss-Kahn from the plane’s first-class cabin just two minutes before the flight was due to depart for Paris, Xinhua said citing US media reports.

Strauss-Kahn’s lawyer Benjamin Brafman said the IMF chief will plead not guilty to all the charges.

The IMF, which has its headquarters in Washington, said Sunday the organisation was fully functioning and operational despite the arrest of its chief, CNN reported.

Strauss-Kahn was reported to be a hopeful for the French presidential elections in 2012.

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