IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn (centre), is led from a New York police station after being charged with attempted rape. Picture: AP Source: AP
DOMINIQUE Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund and leading Socialist Party contender for the French presidency, will "vigorously" defend himself against charges he sexually assaulted a maid in his luxury New York hotel suite.
Mr Strauss-Kahn, 62, was to face a New York court early this morning (AEST) for an arraignment hearing on charges of attempted rape, criminal sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment. The appearance was delayed so he could undergo a physical examination to check for scratches and his accuser's DNA.The IMF managing director was removed from a plane in New York bound for Paris two days ago after a housekeeper at the Sofitel Hotel near Times Square complained to police that he had attacked her.
The maid, a 32-year-old African-American who has worked at the hotel for three years, identified Mr Strauss-Kahn in a police line-up yesterday after he spent the night in a Manhattan police lock-up.
The woman told police she entered Mr Strauss-Kahn's $US3000-a-night ($2840) suite to clean it, unaware he was there and he grabbed her from behind after coming out of the bathroom naked. He is alleged to have pulled her into the bedroom, locked the door and assaulted her. After a struggle in which the housekeeper broke free, he is alleged to have dragged her into his bathroom and forced her to perform oral sex on him. She broke free again and escaped, alerting hotel management, who called police.
His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said outside the Manhattan courthouse where Mr Strauss-Kahn was to appear: "He intends to vigorously defend these charges and denies any wrongdoing."
The IMF chief's sudden arrest has caused a sensation in France, where he has led opinion polls as the Socialist Party's likely candidate to challenge the unpopular President Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's election. Mr Strauss-Kahn was expected to leave his post soon to formally enter the presidential race.
For him still to run, the charges would have to be dropped quickly, and even that might not be enough to save his credibility.
The IMF wasted little time yesterday in holding a special board meeting in Washington to replace Mr Strauss-Kahn with his deputy, John Lipsky, as acting managing director.
Mr Strauss Kahn has played an important role in helping orchestrate rescue loan packages for countries facing disastrous debt since his appointment as IMF chief since 2007.
He had been due to travel to Europe for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the debt crises of Greece, Portugal and Ireland, and was due to attend meetings this week with European finance ministers.
The IMF chief's wife, American-born French TV journalist Anne Sinclair, yesterday said she did not believe the accusations and "he will be proved innocent".
In Mr Brafman, the IMF chief has hired as a criminal lawyer someone well versed in representing celebrities in deep trouble.
Mr Brafman briefly represented Michael Jackson in 2004 over child molestation charges.
He also acted for New York Giants football star Plaxico Burress, who faced charges after a gun he was carrying in his pants in a New York nightclub went off accidentally.
The lawyer won the acquittal of rap artist "P. Diddy" Sean Coombs over illegal weapons and bribery charges after a nightclub brawl witnessed by more than 100 people.
Mr Strauss-Kahn left his hotel on Sunday, New York time, apparently in haste after the incident involving the housekeeper. He left behind his mobile phone and other personal items.
It emerged yesterday that police tracked him down to New York's John F. Kennedy airport, where he had boarded an Air France flight bound for Paris, after he contacted his hotel to say he had left behind his mobile phone.
