Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn asked, yesterday, to be heard by judges in order to rehabilitate the name, after information emerged about his involvement in a network of luxury prostitution in France, reports “The Telegraph”. Until May this year, socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn (62 years old) was considered the favorite to win the 2012 presidential election against Nicolas Sarkozy, but his career was destroyed by the allegations in two cases, unproven, of attempted rape in the U.S. and France. Strauss-Kahn strongly denied the charges and prosecutors dropped both cases, but, yesterday, his name was linked again to a sex scandal.
Luxury prostitutes at Hotel Carlton
This time it’s an investigation into a network of prostitutes in the city of Lille. Reacting after the dissemination of information, DSK said he wants to be heard by the judges as soon as possible to end “speculation and extrapolations that are dangerous and, again, malicious”. A source close to the investigation said that magistrates could interrogate Strauss-Kahn, along with others, in the near future to see if he played indeed an important role in this business.
Investigators in Lille uncovered a network of prostitutes from Belgium, brought to France, for sex with wealthy clients in hotels in the border city, including one four star Carlton Hotel. Five men, including the director and head of public relations at the Carlton Hotel, were arrested and accused of providing prostitutes, while Belgian police is investigating this locally.
Three hotels in Lille were temporarily closed by authorities for three months during the course of the investigation. The case sparked a scandal in Lille, where the respected personalities and even local police chiefs have been exposed as being involved in the business.
Scandal after scandal for DSK
Former director of the IMF is among politicians and businessmen who were clients of a luxury hotel that provided prostitutes, including minors, writes Daily Mail.
An investigation has begun in March at the Carlton Hotel in the French city of Lille, following charges related to prostitution with minors. Although prostitution is legalized in France, those who practice it must be over 18 years. Managers of Carlton Hotel were accused of pimping for the benefit of guests accommodated in the hotel and could be indicted for providing prostitutes, conspiracy to commit criminal acts and money laundering. French magazine Closer specialized in investigations, which first published this information, claims to have consulted the prosecution documents stating that Strauss-Kahn used prostitutes at the hotel.
Moreover, judges in Lille confirmed that Strauss-Kahn was client to the accused in the file. Former IMF chief is likely to have a criminal case, whether he paid or had sexual relations with a minor.