A French prosecutor on Monday opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of rape in a Washington hotel by former IMF chief and one-time French presidential hopeful Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
The move by the prosecutor in Lille in northern France followed a request by investigating judges earlier this month to broaden a suspected prostitution probe to examine the claims of rape in December 2010.
Strauss-Kahn is already the target of another investigation in his native France, this one involving an alleged prostitution ring in Lille. While the former IMF leader admits to “libertine” behavior, he says that prostitution was not a factor.
Strauss-Khan questioned for possible prostitution ring ties: Former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Khan, who was forced out of his position amid rape allegations, was taken into custody Tuesday in the French city of Lille. Strauss-Khan was wanted for questioning for “complicity in a prostitution network” and “aiding and abetting in the misappropriation of company assets.” This doesn’t necessarily mean he did anything — police may let him go after 48 hours, or they may renew his custody. The French politician turned himself in Tuesday morning, in efforts to end a “press lynching.” Eight people have already been charged in the wide-ranging prostitution ring. (AP photo)
Only days after Dominque Strauss-Kahn’s rape complaint filed by writer Tristane Bannon was dismissed, the former International Monetary Fund chief now finds himself linked by a report to a hotel prostitution ring in France. And a French policeman is alleged to have served as his “personal pimp,” as the New York Post relays from French newspaper Journal du Dimanche:
“The new allegations came to light during an investigation into a ring of prostitutes that included underage teens — although there was no suggestion that the former head of the International Monetary Fund had sex with girls under the legal age of 18.” Read more.
Phrases you don’t want associated with you if you’re a politician: “Personal pimp.” This is some Berlusconi-level drama here.
As our Twitter friend Michael Roston puts it: ”This morning I think everyone in the newsroom at AM New York is having trouble making eye contact with the boss.” (via The Awl)
Guess who finally made it home to Paris? Dominique Strauss-Kahn!: Hey may not have a good reputation in his homeland anymore, and likely won’t become president in 2012, but at least he has his mansion. That’s something, right? source
It’s like Dominique Stauss-Kahn never left!
It’s official. It’s over.
The Dominique Strauss-Kahn case appears to be on the way to falling apart. Not that the accuser didn’t try to fight this, with a last-ditch effort to remove the prosecutors which appears to have fallen flat.
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waskommenmag said: You might as well report that the grass is green. That’s the way law works.
» SFB says: Wait, what? If a report comes out claiming that the suspect in a high-profile sexual assault case is planning to settle with the accuser, that’s a major development that affects at least two people. Sorry, not following your logic. — Ernie @ SFB
“I never want to be in public but I have no choice,” Diallo told ABC News, adding “Now, I have to be in public. I have to, for myself. I have to tell the truth.”
We don’t know for certain what happened in that room, but it’s unfortunate when an accuser in a rape case has to come forward to the media to attempt to set the record straight. How do you guys feel about this situation? It started out complex and now it’s publicly spilled onto the cover of Newsweek — like a really unfortunate version of “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.” A lot to handle.
In interviews in connection with the investigation of this case, the complainant admitted that the above factual information, which she provided in connection with her asylum application, was false. She stated that she fabricated the statement with the assistance of a male who provided her with a cassette recording of the facts contained in the statement that she eventually submitted. She memorized these facts by listening to the recording repeatedly.
He will get his bail money back. He won’t be able to travel freely, however, and will be restricted in his travels. This whole mess kinda unspun fairly quickly — with more twists than an episode of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.”
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