Thread: NY police arrest IMF head for attempted rape

French president Sarkozy may have opened a bottle of champagne upon hearing the news today : Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former finance minister of France, current head of the IMF and Sarkozys most serious challenger for the french presidency according to all polls has been arrested in New York for allegedly trying to rape a roommaid in a hotel. Strauss-Kahn was on his way to Europe to meet with german chancellor Merkel and the Eurozone finance ministers and is now in police custody. His lawyers said the IMF head considers himself "not guilty" but his presidential bid may be dead before his campaign even started :

IMF chief Strauss-Kahn charged with attempted rape in New York hotel - FRANCE - USA - FRANCE 24

Sacré bleu!

The good news for him is that if this gets him fired and kills off his political career, he can still get a job as a UN peacekeeper.

I've got to say it baffles me to see such a high profile person get arrested for rape. A prostitute bringing up abuse charges might make sense, but the fact that he wouldn't go that route makes no sense to me.

It is a strange coincidence and certainly material for conspiracy theories that Strauss-Kahn was apparently to declare his presidential ambitions tomorrow (several french newspapers were supposed to have that story on the front page). But then again it is not his first sex scandal. ( though this one is a lot more serious)

Originally Posted by Voland

It is a strange coincidence and certainly material for conspiracy theories that Strauss-Kahn was apparently to declare his presidential ambitions tomorrow (several french newspapers were supposed to have that story on the front page). But then again it is not his first sex scandal. ( though this one is a lot more serious)

It's certainly fodder for conspiracy theories given the facts and timing concerning him, but as you noted, the guy is known to be a sleazebag in sexual misconduct:

Dominique Strauss-Kahn: The Great Seducer
May 15, 2011 12:45 PM EDT

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was detained in New York on Saturday night on suspicions of committing a sexual assault on a hotel maid, is no stranger to such scandals.

During the height of the global financial crisis in late 2008, the boss of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was investigated for having an affair with one of his underlings, a young Hungarian economist named Piroska Nagy, the wife of prominent Argentine economist, Mario Blejer.

Blejer charged that Strauss-Kahn seduced his wife at the Davos international forum in Switzerland. Nagy, who worked in the IMF’s Africa department, left the Fund and went to work in London for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – a job that Strauss-Kahn allegedly helped her to secure.

Strauss-Kahn, who is married to American-born French television news presenter Anne Sinclair, apologized for his sexual transgressions and seemed to survive the imbroglio with his career intact.

"I very much regret the incident and I accept responsibility for it," Strauss-Kahn averred.

. . . rumors of extra-marital affairs and inappropriate sexual behavior have long dogged Strauss-Kahn throughout his career.

The French weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche had dubbed him “le grand séducteur” (the Great Seducer).

. . .

Dominique Strauss-Kahn: The Great Seducer

The alleged facts also about such a NYC hotel maid who one would presume by odds knows nothing about French politics, the IMF, etc, ought to help dispel such claims except for the usual types from the tin foil hat crew that love them.

. . .

$3000-a-night suite

The 32-year-old woman told authorities that she entered Strauss-Kahn's suite at the luxury Sofitel hotel not far from Manhattan's Times Square at about 1 p.m. ET Saturday and he attacked her, Browne said. She said she had been told to clean the spacious $3,000-a-night suite, which she had been told was empty.

According to an account the woman provided to police, Strauss-Kahn emerged from the bathroom naked, chased her down a hallway and pulled her into a bedroom, where he began to sexually assault her. She said she fought him off, then he dragged her into the bathroom, where he forced her to perform oral sex on him and tried to remove her underwear. The woman was able to break free again and escaped the room and told hotel staff what had happened, authorities said. They called police.

When New York City police detectives arrived moments later, Strauss-Kahn had already left the hotel, leaving behind his cellphone, Browne said. "It looked like he got out of there in a hurry," Browne said.

The NYPD discovered that he was at the airport and contacted Port Authority officials, who plucked Strauss-Kahn from first class on the Air France flight that was scheduled to depart at 4:40 p.m. ET and was just about to leave the gate.

. . .

NYPD: IMF chief charged with attempted rape - US news - Crime & courts - msnbc.com

As a side note for a different topic, I make note once again--as should others--about the propriety of a $3000 suite for this guy insofar as a justifiable expense. That also should raise eyebrows and callings for accountings and accountability as to why that is permitted, but that's for a different collateral issue stemming from this event.

I hope the court and prosecution are mindful and careful insofar as bail issues at his scheduled arraignment today. As officials ought to remember from the ongoing Roman Polanski fugitive situation, France will not extradite one of its own citizens and there is reason to be concerned given who he is that he might get sympathisers if he leaves the jurisdiction, how he spins his story upon flight, etc, as with Polanski. IMO, he needs to have his passport turned in immediately to the court with the requirement that he remain in the jurisdiction of the court as conditions of bail if a bail amount is set, but given the seriousness of the charges and the flight risk, electonic home monitoring also ought to be imposed IMO. Under no circumstances should his word be taken that he'll return to answer the charges if allowed to leave the country for his business and other affairs.

Just in time for the presidential ellections race.

A little "thank you" from Obama to Sarkozy for taking "a lead" in Libyan affair.

Originally Posted by Alma

Just in time for the presidential ellections race.

A little "thank you" from Obama to Sarkozy for taking "a lead" in Libyan affair.

To borrow from the comedian Yakov Smirnoff: "In Russia, tinfoil hat wears you".

You seriously think President Obama ordered a maid in a hotel to invent charges against this guy as a favor to Sarkozy?

Wow.

Originally Posted by MattInFla

To borrow from the comedian Yakov Smirnoff: "In Russia, tinfoil hat wears you".

You seriously think President Obama ordered a maid in a hotel to invent charges against this guy as a favor to Sarkozy?

Wow.

Judging by your choice of comedians I am not surprised at your question.

Originally Posted by O'Sullivan Bere

It's certainly fodder for conspiracy theories given the facts and timing concerning him, but as you noted, the guy is known to be a sleazebag in sexual misconduct:


As a side note for a different topic, I make note once again--as should others--about the propriety of a $3000 suite for this guy insofar as a justifiable expense. That also should raise eyebrows and callings for accountings and accountability as to why that is permitted, but that's for a different collateral issue stemming from this event.

1. Well, an extra-marital affair is not the same as an alleged rape.
Nor are men who have affairs automatically more likely to commit rape assaults.


2. Apparently he was entitled to that as IMF head. Which brings me to ask the question though if he couldn´t simply have called a prostitute ( assuming the charges are correct )


3. Some french socialists are indeed claiming the case could be part of a smear campaign by Sarkozys party, to bring down the presidents most dangerous challenger. Dirty intrigues like that would not be completely new to french politics but with no facts at hand that is nothing but a conspiracy theory for now.